The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, has provided updates on the progress of operations at the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State.
According to him, the 150,000 barrels per day plant is undergoing significant work, while the 60,000bpd refinery currently operates at 70 percent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up production soon.
Onanuga revealed this information after participating in a fact-finding mission to the 60,000bpd facility on Wednesday.
He emphasized that the refinery has a consistent supply of crude oil, contrary to claims of shortages.
In a post shared on X titled, “Putting to Rest Rumours about Port Harcourt Refinery Complex: Our Fact-Finding Mission”, Onanuga detailed the visit and expressed confidence in the state of the facility.
“I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the 60,000 barrels daily Port Harcourt Refining Complex on Wednesday. I will now share our findings,” he stated.
He noted that the team, led by PHRC Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, conducted a comprehensive tour of the complex, which included the computerized control room, loading bay, and various other sections.
“We asked pointed questions and received satisfactory answers, dispelling our doubts and misconceptions,” he said.
Onanuga urged Nigerians to disregard misinformation about the refinery’s operations.
“While it is not currently running at 100 per cent, it is functioning at 70 per cent installed capacity, with plans to increase production shortly. Furthermore, the refinery receives regular crude supplies, contrary to claims that it lacks crude to refine.”
Commending the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, he remarked, “This dead asset, on the verge of becoming a museum piece, has been revived.”
In November, NNPCL announced the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery, initially processing 60,000bpd of crude, with efforts underway to reach full capacity.
The refinery, which has a total capacity of 210,000bpd, produces various petroleum products, including kerosene, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, low-pour fuel oil, and petrol. Onanuga explained that petrol is blended with other components to create the fuel used in vehicles.
“We even tested samples of the products,” he added.
The facility has undergone extensive upgrades, including the replacement of previously unchanged parts for 27 years and the installation of new equipment, bringing it up to modern standards. The improvements extend to approximately 300 kilometers of new pipelines.
The team also inspected the second PHRC plant, commissioned in 1989, where refurbishment work is ongoing. Workers are dismantling old, corroded components and replacing them with new ones.
While no timeline for completion was provided, Onanuga said the atmosphere among workers indicated confidence in the plant’s eventual readiness to complement the 60,000bpd facility.
Reflecting on the visit, he remarked, “My curiosity has been satisfied. I commend NNPC Limited and the refinery team for reviving this dead asset, which was on the verge of becoming a museum piece.” He further asserted that the mission had effectively debunked various “doubts and lies” about the Port Harcourt Refinery Complex.
