The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has confirmed that the rehabilitation of the new Port Harcourt Refinery is now over 90 percent complete. Once fully operational, the refinery will significantly boost Nigeria’s crude processing capacity, reaching a combined total of 210,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) between its old and new plants.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) operates two refineries: the old facility with a capacity of 60,000 bpsd and the new plant, which can process 150,000 bpsd. This upgrade is expected to enhance Nigeria’s refining capabilities, helping to meet domestic demand while also supporting exports.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Mele Kyari, addressed the ongoing developments during a visit by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) leaders to the facility in Rivers State on Monday. Represented by Isiyaku Abudulai, NNPC’s Executive Vice President for Downstream, Kyari emphasized that the refinery is undergoing a comprehensive rehabilitation to bring it in line with global standards. He assured that once completed, the facility would meet the highest health and safety standards.
“The rehabilitation is nearing completion, and we are working to ensure that the refinery operates at state-of-the-art standards, comparable to any refinery globally,” Kyari said. He further explained that the rehabilitation work is being overseen by the contractor, Tecnimont SPA, and that progress is on track, with over 90 percent of the work completed.
Kyari added that the upgraded refinery will have a combined crude processing capacity of 210,000 bpsd, which will significantly improve Nigeria’s refining output and the availability of refined products, such as petrol, to meet domestic and export needs.
“The new Port Harcourt refinery will not only ensure sufficiency in local consumption but also provide an opportunity for exports,” Kyari said, noting the potential for the facility to enhance both import and export capacity for petroleum products. He also highlighted that an established technical operations and maintenance (O&M) team would continue to manage and maintain the refinery once it becomes fully operational.
Kyari further emphasized the importance of proper rehabilitation and turnaround maintenance to avoid operational challenges. “Proper rehabilitation, including the replacement of aging components and maintenance of key assets, is critical to ensuring the refinery remains fully functional,” he said.
The old Port Harcourt refinery had resumed crude oil processing and product loading on November 26, after years of inactivity. With this development, the refinery is expected to play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s efforts to reduce reliance on imported refined petroleum products and boost local production capacity.
NNPC’s ongoing monitoring efforts will ensure that the refinery adheres to global best practices in refinery operations. Once fully operational, the upgraded Port Harcourt Refinery will represent a major step forward in Nigeria’s refining capacity and energy security.
