NNPC begins plan to restart Warri, Port Harcourt refineries with new Chinese partnership

…signs MOU with Chinese firms

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company ( NNPC) Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two Chinese companies, Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xingcheng (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd, for collaboration through a potential Technical Equity Partnership (TEP) in support of the completion and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries.

The MoU was signed by Bashir Bayo Ojulari; Group CEO, NNPC Ltd, Chairman, Sanjiang Chemical Company, Guan Jianzhong and Chairman of Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd, Bill Bi, in Jiaxing City, China.

The company, in a statement issued to journalists on Monday, explained that the potential framework would cover completion of outstanding work at the two refineries, together with operating and maintaining both facilities to achieve best-in-class, sustainable performance.

It stated that planned expansion and
upgrades would elevate both facilities to cleaner, more profitable product standards. “The potential collaboration also contemplates expanding the refineries’ petrochemical capacities and harnessing gas and downstream opportunities through the development of co-located, gas-based industrial hubs,” it read.

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Commenting on the move, Ojulari, described the MoU execution as a significant milestone, following more than six months of concerted engagement between the technical and management teams of NNPC and the two Chinese partners, Sanjiang and
Xinganchen.

“All parties recognise mutually beneficial opportunities for the development and long-term sustainable profitability of NNPC’s refining assets in Nigeria, and the collective weight required for success,” Ojulari noted.

The GCEO further stated that the MoU is an important step on the journey towards identifying potential technical equity partner(s) to restart andexpand NNPC’s refineries, and to explore opportunities in co-located petrochemicals and gas-based industries.

The MoU, the company said reflects the parties’ shared intent to progress discussions in good faith, with any definitive arrangements to follow in due course and subject to customary approvals.