The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) has disclosed that the test runs at the 60,000-bpd Port Harcourt refinery will be concluded within this month.
“Testing will conclude shortly, ensuring the refinery’s efficient operation. That phase will be completed this month,” Reuters quoted NNPC spokesperson, Femi Soneye, as saying.
Soneye emphasized that the ongoing test run represents a significant milestone in the efforts to resume operations at the plant, which was shut down five years ago.
In December, the state-owned oil company announced the mechanical completion of rehabilitation work on the Area-5 Plant of the facility. It was revealed that the first phase of the plant had been successfully concluded, and the facility would commence refining 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily following the Christmas break.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, confirmed the completion of the first phase of the PHRC on December 20, 2023, expressing that the production of refined products would begin after the Yuletide.
Upon becoming operational, alongside the Dangote Refinery expected to commence oil refining this year, the facility is anticipated to alleviate the pressure on the country’s foreign exchange.
According to reports, the commencement of operations at these facilities is expected to lower the cost of refined products, experts and downstream operators have indicated that it will not result in a significant price crash.