With the maintenance work carried out by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Port Harcourt Refinery, it now produces 17 million litres of different products per day, it was learnt.
The new production level was attained as a result of the rehabilitation of the nitrogen plant of the 210, 000 barrels per day refinery, which has been dysfunctional for over a year.
However, the optimisation of the refinery is being limited by the incidence of vandalism of the pipelines that supply crude and evacuates products from the refinery.
With the maintenance work carried out by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Port Harcourt Refinery, it now produces 17 million litres of different products per day, it was learnt.
The new production level was attained as a result of the rehabilitation of the nitrogen plant of the 210, 000 barrels per day refinery, which has been dysfunctional for over a year.
However, the optimisation of the refinery is being limited by the incidence of vandalism of the pipelines that supply crude and evacuates products from the refinery.
Spokesman of the company Mr. Ralph Ugwu, had told reporters that the refinery produces about 7.5 million litres of premium motor spirit (petrol), three million litres of dual purpose kerosene (DPK) and 6.5 million litres of automotive gas oil (diesel).
Ugwu said production from the refinery now contributes to the nation’s petroleum products supply to guarantee availability of fuel Nigerians. The development, he added is part of NNPC’s plan to reduce the volume of imported fuel especially petrol as well as subsidy paid by the government.
Ugwu noted that the management of Port Harcourt refinery have activated processes to bring the critical units of the plant back into operation adding that the fixing of the Nitrogen plant has also paved way for the maintenance and putting other vital sections of the refinery into operation, including the Catalytic Reforming Unit (CRU) and Naphtha Hydro-treating unit (NHU).
He said that when the planned turnaround maintenance of the refinery is completed, production would increase by about 30 percent.
The Group Executive Director, Refineries and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Tony Ogbuigwe, commended the management of the Port Harcourt refinery for the commitment to ensuring increased output from the refinery and assured them of NNPC’s support to sustaining operation of the plant.
The Managing Director of the refinery, Ian Udoh, said the members of staff of the company are committed noting that the modest success achieved was due to the foundation laid by his predecessor Ogbuigwe. He urged the staff to sustain the tempo despite challenges resulting from crude supply disruptions by oil thieves and vandals.
On attacks on the pipeline, he said that 199 incidents were recorded product line from the refinery to Okrika Jetty in 2012 alone. He also noted that challenges of pipeline vandalism including pollution of the environment and economic loss.
He also pointed at other concerns over the pipeline breaks to include environmental pollution and degradation, huge economic loss and possible fire outbreak in contiguous local communities.
In view of the above challenges, Ugwu said the company has embarked on massive enlightenment campaigns in its various host communities stressing the dangers and effects of pipeline vandalism and product adulteration to health, safety, environment, machinery and the economy.
“The management of PHRC passionately appeal to opinion leaders and government agencies to come to its aid in curbing the activities of vandals through the enlightenment of the citizens to enable the company deliver on its mandate of ensuring optimal and sustainable production of refined petroleum products for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Ugwu said.
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