The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has reportedly ceased crude oil processing only three days after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced the refinery’s resumption.
During a visit to the refinery on Friday, November 29, observers noted an eerie silence, with no visible signs of activity, according to a report by Punch.
Workers at the facility disclosed that the refinery is currently undergoing a calibration process, which could last until next week. This contradicts NNPCL’s earlier claims that petroleum products such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and Household Kerosene (HHK) were being loaded onto trucks for distribution.
An anonymous refinery official revealed that the trucks loaded on November 26 contained “dead stock” — leftover products stored in tanks before the refinery was shut down in 2015/2016.
“Before the shutdown, significant quantities of PMS, kerosene, and diesel were left in the storage tanks,” the official explained. “During the refinery’s rehabilitation, these products were evacuated for storage. However, much of this stock is off-spec, requiring further processing to separate water and other impurities.”
The official added that after clearing out the old stock, the tanks would need to be cleaned and prepared to receive newly refined products.
Earlier this week, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Femi Soneye, claimed the refinery was operating at 60% capacity, processing 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Soneye dismissed allegations from Alesa community leader Timothy Mgbere, who argued that the refinery was not producing fuel.
According to Soneye, the old and new Port Harcourt refineries have been integrated, sharing utilities such as storage tanks and power. He assured the public that claims suggesting otherwise were “sheer mischief and blatant ignorance.”
The refinery’s sudden inactivity has raised concerns about the effectiveness of its much-touted rehabilitation and the veracity of NNPCL’s claims. Industry observers and stakeholders are now waiting for clarity on whether the facility will meet its operational targets or if systemic issues will persist.
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