Following confusing reports on commencement of petroleum product distribution by the Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has made clarification on the status of the refinery.
According to the company, the refinery has not commenced bulk sales of petroleum products or opened its purchase portal. NNPCL stated that essential processes are still being finalized by the refinery.
The clarification was contained in a statement by the NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Friday.
According to Soneye, the products the refinery current sells originate from the Dangote Refinery. And it include applicable fees by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The statement read in part, “Products from PHRC are exclusively for our retail stores at this stage. Our pricing is reviewed and adjusted periodically as necessary to reflect operational realities.”
“NNPCL also advised the public to disregard any misleading information regarding pricing. It noted that official announcements will be made if and when price reviews occur.
“This clarification comes amid public anticipation of the PHRC’s full-scale operations as the company works to streamline its processes.
Recall that NNPCL had earlier clarified that the newly activated Port Harcourt refinery is currently working at 90 per cent capacity. And not 70 per cent as stated by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
PETROAN had on Thursday said the refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity. With plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.
But NNPCL said that the Port Harcourt refinery has commenced crude oil refining.
The company stated, “Halt the rumours: Port Harcourt old refinery is up and running, producing by-products of crude oil”, and signed by its spokesperson on Thursday, Joseph Obele.
But PETROAN stated that as part of its oversight function, it has direct access to the plant on the authorization of management.
“It is more important to state here that the functional plant at operation is the old refinery with the capacity of 60,000 barrels per day. While the new port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 200,000 barrels per day is still under rehabilitation. Which is due to commence production soon as announced by the management of NNPCL. Both Refineries are within the same complex at Alesa Eleme in Rivers State,” NNPCL spokesman said.
source: Channels TV
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