The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced that rehabilitation work on the new Port Harcourt refinery is over 90 percent complete.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) operates two plants: an older refinery with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and a newer facility with a capacity of 150,000 bpsd, giving the complex a total crude processing capacity of 210,000 bpsd.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, made the announcement during a visit by leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to the facility in Rivers State. Kyari was represented by NNPC’s Executive Vice-President for Downstream Operations, Isiyaku Abdullahi.
Speaking on the progress of the rehabilitation project, Abdullahi stated, “Once the rehabilitation is completed, the refinery will be fully operational and upgraded to meet global standards. This includes full compliance with health, safety, and environmental standards.”
He noted that the contractor, Tecnimont SPA, reported significant progress, with over 90 percent of the rehabilitation work completed. “We are ensuring the project delivers value, with the combined capacity of 210,000 bpsd supporting local refining, product sufficiency, and even exports,” Abdullahi added.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the refinery, Kyari explained that its revitalization would reduce reliance on imports, enhance local consumption of petroleum products, and create opportunities for export.
Additionally, he emphasized the establishment of a professional technical operations and maintenance (O&M) team to manage the refinery post-rehabilitation. “This includes replacing outdated equipment, upgrading assets, and ensuring operational efficiency. We are also engaging world-class O&M teams to sustain these efforts,” he said.
Kyari further assured that NNPCL is committed to adhering to global best practices and enhancing monitoring to maintain the refinery’s performance and reliability.
