NNPC Explains Delays In Port Harcourt Refinery Take-off

The Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC) has attributed the delay in the much-anticipated take-off of the Port Harcourt Refinery to unforeseen challenges encountered during its rehabilitation, describing the project as a complex brownfield operation.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking on Monday, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, stated that the company had achieved significant milestones, including the mechanical completion of the refinery, but faced risks during commissioning.

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“Following the successful mechanical completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery revamp, we began commissioning critical equipment and process units. However, as is common with projects of this scale, unforeseen challenges emerged,” Soneye explained.

He assured Nigerians that these issues had been resolved, and commissioning activities had resumed with a focus on completing the project.

Despite this, the NNPC refrained from setting a new deadline for the refinery’s operational commencement, having previously missed seven deadlines, the most recent being September 2024.

The Port Harcourt Refinery, established in 1965 and one of three government-owned refineries managed by the NNPC, has been moribund for years.

In 2021, the Federal Government secured a $1.5 billion loan for its rehabilitation, but progress has been slow.

Contractors, led by Maire Tecnimont SPA, have declined to disclose the project’s completion date, citing legal constraints under the Freedom of Information Act.

Public expectations remain high, as many Nigerians hope that refining crude domestically will reduce fuel costs and end reliance on imported petroleum products.

However, the refinery’s protracted delays have sparked criticism, with promises from the NNPC and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources consistently falling short.

NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, had previously assured that the refinery would commence production by early August 2024.

Despite claims of progress, the facility remains non-operational as the year draws to a close, leaving Nigerians waiting for a resolution to a long-standing national challenge.

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