NNPC Speaks on Capacity of PH Refinery After Marketers' 70% Claim

• NNPC has clarified that the old Port Harcourt is currently operating at 90% capacity
• This is against earlier claims by marketers that the refinery runs at 70% of its installed capacity
• It also spoke on the allegation that the refinery was merely blending and had pushed out old stock

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has confirmed that, contrary to what the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) claimed, the old Port Harcourt is currently operating at 90% capacity.

PETROAN said on Thursday that the refinery is now running at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90%.

PH refinery operating at 90%

Although the refinery's nameplate states that it can produce 60,000 barrels of oil per day, ChannelsTV reported that a statement issued by NNPCL spokeswoman Olufemi Soneye on Friday, November 29, stated that it is currently operating at 90% capacity.

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“There are a number of other wild claims made by the man, one of which was that the refinery was producing 1.4 million barrels per day. The nameplate capacity of the refinery is 60,000 barrels of oil per day. It is currently producing at 90 per cent throughput which translates to Straight-Run Gasoline (Naptha) blended into 1.4million litres of PMS, aside from other products like diesel and kerosene.”

NNPC addresses more allegations

The company was also addressing an allegation by one of the community persons, Timothy Mgbere, that the refinery was not worth celebrating, as it was merely blending and had pushed out old stock.

“He claimed that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery was only operating skeletally and was not processing PMS. His proof was that the PMS truck-out was done at the gantry of the New Port Harcourt Refinery as against the gantry of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery. This betrays his scant knowledge of the operations of the refinery.

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"The Old and New Port Harcourt Refineries have since been integrated with one single terminal for product load-out. They share common utilities like power and storage tanks. This means that storage tanks and loading gantry which he claimed belong to the New Port-Harcourt Refinery can also receive products from the Old Port-Harcourt Refinery.

NNPC clarifies reported sale of petrol From PH refinery

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) clarified that bulk product sales have not begun at the Port Harcourt refinery despite reports of product trucking on Tuesday, November 26.

This statement came in response to numerous inquiries about the pricing framework, as Nigerians expressed curiosity about how the revamped refinery might influence prices.

Earlier this week, the NNPC received widespread praise from Nigerians for announcing the official commencement of crude oil processing at the Port Harcourt Refinery.

Source: Legit.ng