The recent pronouncement by the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that the refineries have started producing petroleum products to the tune of 10 million litres per day can only be described as a political statement. Such statements have in the past, been viewed by discerning minds as mere mischief making by the management of the organisation.
Debunking these claims, some industry sources have asked the corporation to make available for the public the performance level of the various units in the refineries. To them the performance of the each of the refineries cannot be more than 20 percent.
Salmon Akanni, deputy national chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of NUPENG, insists that the refineries are moribound and therefore urged Federal government to, without further delay, rehabilitate all the moribund oil refineries in the country so as to put a stop to the huge sums of money being incurred on importation of refined products.
According to him, the rehabilitation of the refineries would also ensure maximum production locally and provide job for unemployed graduates.
Going by analyses provided by the management on the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at its three refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt, the management states that production of PMS has reached a combined level of ten million, two hundred and thirty one thousand litres (10.23m) per day.
Anthony Ogbuigwe, the group executive director, Refining and Petrochemicals of the Corporation, stated that Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company is currently running at sixty-five percent (65%); Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company at sixty-three (63%) and Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company at sixty-six (66%) of installed capacities.
He also revealed that the refineries are currently producing five million, five hundred and thirty thousand (5.53m) litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) daily and eight million and sixteen thousand (8.016m) litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or diesel) daily.
“I can tell you with every sense of responsibility that contrary to the news making the round, all our refineries are doing very well. The major components and various units of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units, (FCCU), Crude Distillation Unit (VDU) and Vacuum Distillation Unit (DDU) of all the refineries are working well. In fact, these refineries have been running consistently for over three months now,” Ogbuigwe quipped.
He explained that the stability that has characterised the supply of petroleum products to motorists in the country is attributable to the good performance of the refineries.
Ogbuigwe maintained that the scheduled turn-around maintenance for the refineries are on course and already the Port Harcourt refinery has taken delivery of some of the components for its rehabilitation, adding: “I can tell you that five shipments for the TAM PHRC have arrived.”
NNPC, NUPENG differ on domestic refining capacities
Stories by
OLUSOLA BELLO
