NNPC Destroys 42 Illegal Refineries as Dangote, 5 Others Set to Begin Operations in 2024
- The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation engaged in an operation to clean the country of illegal activities in the petroleum sector in the last days of 2023
- The operation led to the discovery of 42 refineries and 14 illegal pipelines and one oil storage site operating in the Niger Delta region of the country
- According to the commission, 18 people have been detained on suspicion of being involved in the occurrences which affect a lot of people and companies
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market
The Nigerian National Petroleum Co. Ltd. (NNPC) conducted a week-long operation to demolish several unauthorised oil pipelines and refineries in various locations across the country in December 2023.
Source: Getty Images
The operation was carried out between December 23 and 29, and NNPCl revealed it found 42 refineries and 14 illegal pipelines in the Niger Delta.
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The national oil company also discovered one oil storage site used for operation.
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The development comes as Nigerians anticipate the commencement of operation of Dangote refinery, Port Harcourt refinery, and 4 others across the country.
Operations affect NNPC and others
According to a report on its X account, it stated that 18 people have been detained on suspicion of being involved in the occurrences, which affected the NNPC and several other companies.
Shell Petroleum Development Co., Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd., and Maton Engineering Nigeria Ltd. were also among the victims.
It noted:
“For NNPC Ltd. there is no backing down on the war on crude oil theft until the menace is eradicated for good”
Efforts to curb oil theft
There has been several initiatives to fight the incessant cases of theft of crude oil in the country.
Recently, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the country's oil and gas regulatory body, urged the government to address wanton crude oil theft in the Niger Delta at the nation's annual oil and gas fair in May of last year.
This was to enable the production of hydrocarbons at reasonable costs and profitability.
To stop oil theft, the government also established a special committee in November.
More supply to upcoming refineries
In a related report, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has ordered oil companies in Nigeria to supply about 483,000 barrels of crude oil daily to local refineries for the next six months beginning January 2024.
The initiative is part of Nigeria’s efforts to ensure regular supply to local refiners for domestic consumption.
About six local refineries are expected to begin production in the coming year, including the 650,000-capacity Dangote refinery and Nigeria’s three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.
Dangote refinery receives another one million barrels of crude as another begins test-run
Legit.ng reported that Dangote refinery said on Monday, January 1, 2024, that it had received the fourth shipment of one million barrels of crude oil from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
According to a statement by the refinery, it is now expecting a fifth crude supply soon.
The oil company also said it would start refining diesel and aviation fuel this January.
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Source: Legit.ng
