The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, has said the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations in about two weeks time.
According to Kyari, the mechanical works at the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries have been completed, indicating that the Kaduna refinery will start operations in December.
This was revealed by Kyari during a press briefing after he appeared before Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating the various Turn Around Maintenance projects of the country’s refineries.
He said, “We are serving this country with honour and dignity. And we will make sure that the promises we make on the rehabilitation of these refineries will take place.
“We did a mechanical completion of the refinery that was what we said in December. We now have crude oil already stocked in the refinery. We are doing regulatory compliance test that must happen in every refinery before you start it, and I assure you that this Port Harcourt refinery will start in the next two weeks.
“Completing the mechanical work means that you are done with the rehabilitation work, now you have to test to see how it works. Of course, we have also completed the mechanical work on the Warri refinery. It is also undergoing regulatory compliance; processes that we are doing with our regulator, and this will soon be completed and it will be ready.
“Kaduna refinery will be ready by December. We have not reached that stage in Kaduna, but we promise Kaduna will be delivered by December.”
In addition, the GMD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation told the Senate that more than 450 000 barrels of oil had been stored at the Port Harcourt refinery.
He said, “All crude lines are active and have actually delivered over 450,000 barrels into Port Harcourt refinery.
“We are confident of the integrity of it. Yes, there may be security issues, but also government is responding to the situation.”
