The 125,000 barrels-per-day Warri Refinery is now running at 60 per cent capacity, processing 75,000 barrels of crude oil daily, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
During a facility tour on Monday, Kyari remarked, “This plant is running. Although it is not yet operating at 100 per cent, we have made significant progress. Many doubted this was possible, but today we’ve shown it is achievable.”
Milestones Achieved
Kyari commended the team’s determination, explaining that Area 1 of the refinery is now operational, producing diesel, kerosene, and naphtha—products that are both essential for the local market and suitable for export.
He credited the progress to directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who emphasised the need to revive Nigeria’s three major refineries. “We’ve successfully restarted the Port Harcourt refinery and now Area 1 of the Warri refinery. Other plants producing PMS (petrol) will soon come online. Kaduna is also progressing, and we will surprise you,” Kyari added.
Refinery Details
The Warri Refinery, located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, was commissioned in 1978 and is managed by the NNPCL. It produces 13,000 metric tons per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.
While the facility’s full mechanical completion was initially targeted for the first quarter of 2024, its partial operation signals progress in meeting this goal.
Nationwide Refinery Revamp
The Warri Refinery is part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to rehabilitate its refining infrastructure, which includes the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries. The recent commencement of operations at the 60,000 barrels-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery marks another milestone in this initiative.
The tour also included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, underscoring the government’s commitment to revitalising the country’s oil and gas sector.