P’Harcourt Refinery To Complete Test-Run This Month – NNPCL Reveals

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has revealed that it will complete a test run at the 60,000-bpd Port Harcourt refinery this month.

Spokesperson of the NNPCL  Femi Soneye, said that , “Testing will conclude shortly, ensuring the refinery’s efficient operation. That phase will be completed this month.”

Naija News reports that Soneye went on to say that the test run was an important step toward starting up again five years after the plant stopped operations.

In December, the state-owned oil corporation declared the mechanical completion of the facility’s Area-5 Plant rehabilitation work.

It stated that the plant’s initial phase had been finished and that, following the Christmas break, 60,000 barrels of crude oil will be refined per day.

The first phase of the PHRC was finished on December 20, 2023, according to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil),  Heineken Lokpobiri who also mentioned that production of refined goods would start after the holidays.

When operational, it is anticipated that the facility will lessen the strain on the nation’s foreign exchange reserves, especially in conjunction with the Dangote Refinery, which is anticipated to begin refining oil this year.

However, while the cost of refined products would reduce once the refineries commence operations, experts suggest that it would not result in a massive price crash.