The Port Harcourt Refinery has officially commenced crude oil processing.
Olufemi Soneye, the spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), made this announcement on Tuesday.
In his statement, Soneye confirmed that the refinery has begun operations at 60% of its installed capacity, currently processing an impressive 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The Port Harcourt Refinery boasts a total combined capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.
“The Port Harcourt Refinery is now actively processing crude oil,” Soneye stated. “This is a pivotal step towards boosting local refining capacity and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.”
This comes after numerous setbacks and missed deadlines for the refinery’s relaunch, which had sparked criticism and skepticism about the government’s commitment to revitalizing the nation’s refineries.
The Port Harcourt Refinery, located in Rivers State, has been undergoing a long-awaited overhaul to restore it to functional status after years of dormancy.
