PH Refinery Begins Truck-Out of Petroleum Products
The Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) on Tuesday began the first tuck-out of petroleum products in view of the re-streaming of the rehabilitated facility.
The re-streaming and truck loading signalled the commencement of crude oil processing from the plant and delivery of petroleum products to the market.
The upgraded old refinery, which had an installed production capacity of 60, 000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, was currently operating at 70 percent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 percent.
The refinery is producing the following daily outputs: Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol), Kerosene: 900,000 litres, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or Diesel): 1.5 million litres.
Others are Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million litres and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Additional volumes.
The trucks began loading petroleum products, which include PMS, AGO and Kerosene, while other product slates will be dispatched as well.
Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), while marking its first product lifting, said the plant would be producing about 200 trucks of products daily.
Kyari described the commencement of loadout activities as a monumental achievement for Nigeria, which signified a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.
In the bid to ease the distribution of the products, Kyari said the refinery’s access road was captured under the roads being renovated under the road tax credit scheme for improved infrastructure and smooth product delivery.
Meanwhile, some petroleum marketers who witnessed the first loading of petroleum products lauded NNPC Ltd. for achieving the milestone after many years of being moribund.
Dr. Joseph Obele, the National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), expressed optimism that with the coming on stream of the refinery, fuel prices would be reviewed.
“Indeed, it is a dream come true; the plant is up and running. I commend the NNPC Ltd. and the host community for realising this project. Marketers now have hope of loading products here,” he said.
High Chief Sunny Nkpe, a community leader and Managing Director of Wesham Oil Ltd., said the development would further contribute to economic development and energy sustainability.
He called for the crude oil processing from the plant to be sustained for Nigerians to feel the impact.
Also speaking, Mr. Johnbosco Bosco, the Chairman, Petroleum Tankers Driver (PTD) Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), thanked the Federal Government for putting smiles on their faces.
“We are ready to partner with NNPC Ltd. to ensure that petroleum products reach designated destinations.
“We also want to see that this trend continues; we want to be loading regularly in this refinery,” he said.
The CEO of Matrix Energy, Abdukabiru Aliyu also expressed delight over the development and urged NNPC Ltd. to sustain it.#PH Refinery Begins Truck-Out of Petroleum Products#
