The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote, has stated that Edo State’s two refineries, the Edo Refinery and the Duport Midstream Refinery, which are currently refining petrochemical products, are well positioned to contribute to Nigeria’s 1.5 million barrels per day refining capacity by 2025.
According to The Punch, Wabote made the remarks while delivering the keynote lecture at the Petroleum Training Institute’s third Biennial International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology, which was held in Abuja under the topic “The Future of the Oil and Gas Industry: Opportunities, Challenges, and Development.”
Edo State’s two refineries placed a combined order for 300,000 barrels of crude from the Oza oil field and currently manufacture diesel, naphtha and Lour Pour Fuel Oil.
The Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company operates the 6000bpd plant at Ologbo, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, while the Duport Refinery is part of an integrated energy park in Egbokor, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State.
The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration invested N700 million in the Edo Refinery in 2019, and it was already being developed into a 12,000bpd facility.
Wabote’s NCDMB owns a share in the Duport Refinery and is committed to its expansion.
“If all plans go well, Nigeria would meet the target of 1.5 million bpd by 2025 through the various refining investments such as the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery and the Bua Group refinery project,” Wabote said in a press release.
He also mentioned the Waltersmith modular refinery, the Duport Midstream refinery, the OPAC Refinery, the Edo Refinery, the Aradel Holdings refinery, and the existing 445,000 barrels per day capacity from the Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt refineries as projects that would help Nigeria meet its 1.5 million bpd refining target.
“The realization of these projects would culminate in Nigeria achieving a combined refining capacity of approximately 1.5 million barrels per day by 2025,” he said.
