Port Harcourt Refinery Resumes Operations After Years of Shutdown

The Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State has successfully recommenced operations, aligning with the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving refined product production at the facility by December 2023.

This revival comes after years of underperformance and extensive turnaround maintenance of the facility. Nigeria’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, collectively capable of processing 445,000 barrels per day (bpd), had been shut down in 2019.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, had previously announced in August that the Port Harcourt Refinery would resume operations by the end of the year. This announcement was made during an inspection tour, where Lokpobiri emphasized the government’s objective to halt fuel importation in the coming years.

The recommencement follows the government’s approval of a $1.5 billion (1.2 billion euros) fund for the repair of one of its major oil refineries, shut down for over two years. Italian firm Maire Tecnimont was selected to execute the repair work at the Port Harcourt Refinery, which has a capacity of approximately 210,000 bpd.

Former Minister of Petroleum (State) Timipre Sylva shared details of the rehabilitation plan, revealing that the process would unfold in three phases. The first phase, targeting 90 percent of the refinery’s nameplate capacity, is expected to be completed in 18 months. Subsequent phases are set to conclude in 24 and 44 months, marking a significant stride towards Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in fuel production.