Warri Refinery Goes Live, Says NNPCL

This was revealed in a disclosure by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari during a tour of the facility on Monday.

The refinery is a 125, 000 barrels per day Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) in Warri, Delta State.

Before the tour of the facility began, Kyari was seen addressing the team, saying “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process. Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.”

“I must congratulate our team for their determination and extreme belief that this company can restart this plant.

“This has brought the result we are seeing in collaboration with our contractors. We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down. We have proved this.

“This plant has three stages. We have started stage one which is called Area 1, able to produce AGO (diesel), Kerosene, naphtha and others. These are brands of high-quality products required in the country. We will also be able to export them. This country will make money to meet the promises of Mr president that this country will be an exporter of petroleum products.

“I must put on record the development was as a result of the charge by Mr President that we must get all three refineries to work. It is already happening. We have successfully started the Port Harcourt 65, 000 barrels per day refinery. We have also started the area 1 of the Warri refinery. The other plants that will produce PMS will also come live.

“Kaduna is also on stream. We are not going to give you a date but we will surprise you.”

Among the tour team was the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.

Located at the Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, Warri, the Petrochemical plant produces 13,000 million tons per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.

Commissioned in 1978 and managed by the NNPCL, the WRPC was built to supply markets in the south and southwest regions of Nigeria.

The mechanical completion of the facility was earlier scheduled for completion in the first quarter of this year, according to the spokesperson for the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye.

“Warri should be done by Q1 (first quarter) 2024,” he stated.

The other two include the old and new Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State, and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State.

The development comes following the commencement of crude refining at the old Port Harcourt Refinery recently.

Responding to the reopening of the Warri refinery, President Bola Tinubu expressed his profound joy at the re-opening of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, describing it as another remarkable achievement in 2024 that has strengthened Nigerians’ hope in his administration.

Speaking via a press release e-signed by the Special Adviser to the President Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The president Tinubu says.

“Today, the Warri Refinery returned to operation weeks after NNPC Limited restarted the 60,000 Barrels per day at the Port Harcourt Refinery in November.

“With Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) going into operation after several years of inactivity, President Tinubu has once again expressed his administration’s determination to ramp up local refining capacity and make Nigeria a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa.

“The All Progressives Congress-led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari awarded the contract for the complete rehabilitation and overhaul of the four state-owned refineries.

“President Tinubu noted with confidence that with the 125,000 (bpd) Warri Refinery now operating at 60% capacity, his administration’s comprehensive plan to ensure energy efficiency and security is entirely on course. He praised the Mele Kyari-led management of the NNPCL for working hard to restore Nigeria’s glory and pride as a major oil-producing country.

“The restart of Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me and Nigerians. This will further strengthen the hope and confidence of Nigerians for a greater and better future that we promised. This development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery. I am equally happy that NNPC Limited is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to good working condition.

“I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for working hard to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa,” President Tinubu said.

President Tinubu enjoined NNPCL to accelerate repair work on Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 (bpd) second refinery in Port Harcourt to consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider.

WRPC will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene (SRK), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and heavy and light Naphtha.”