The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has clarified that the Port Harcourt refinery, which has recently resumed operations, is currently running at 90% capacity, not 70% as claimed by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
PETROAN had earlier reported that the refinery was operating at 70% capacity and aimed to increase it to 90%.
In a statement on Thursday, PETROAN emphasized that it has direct access to the plant, authorized by NNPCL management, and confirmed that the refinery in operation is the old Port Harcourt refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day.
Meanwhile, the new refinery, with a 200,000-barrel capacity, is still under rehabilitation and is expected to begin production soon.
However, in a response on Friday, NNPCL clarified that while the nameplate capacity of the refinery is 60,000 barrels per day, it is currently operating at 90% of that capacity. The refinery is producing 1.4 million liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), along with other by-products like diesel and kerosene.
NNPCL also dismissed claims by a local community member, Timothy Mgbere, who had alleged that the refinery’s operations were not significant, describing his statements as “mischievous and ignorant.”
