The Port Harcourt Refinery is poised to resume operations after receiving a significant boost with the supply of 475,000 barrels of crude oil from the Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited. This delivery marks the first influx of crude oil to the refinery in recent years, a development that follows extensive rehabilitation and testing phases aimed at ensuring the refinery’s readiness for sustained operations.
Shell has confirmed the oil supply, attributing this pivotal achievement to the thorough preparations, collaborative efforts, and the unwavering commitment of both the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal (BOGT) and the Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC) teams. The preparation phase included comprehensive pressure and leak tests to verify pipeline integrity and maintenance activities on the Oil and Gas Terminal’s export pumps and associated instrumentation, executed by the dedicated BOT operations and maintenance teams.
The restoration of crude oil supply from the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal to the Port Harcourt Refinery is heralded as a landmark success and a transformative development for both the industry and the nation. Shell emphasized that the meticulous preparations and teamwork were crucial in surmounting challenges and ensuring a safe and efficient operation.
This progress is expected to bolster the government’s goal of ensuring a consistent supply of petroleum products to the downstream market, alongside yielding broader economic benefits. Furthermore, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd has announced the completion of the mechanical rehabilitation of the PHRC’s Area 5 Plant as part of its commitment.
The refinery’s rehabilitation, which has spanned over two years, aimed to finalize Phase One of the project by the end of December 2023, focusing on mechanical completion and flare start-up of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery (Area 5). The NNPC Ltd.’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, reported that as of December 15th, 2023, significant progress had been made, with 84.4% of the Area 5 Plant and 77.4% of the entire project completed, during an inspection tour and the 15th Refineries’ Rehabilitation Steering Committee Meeting.
