The management of the Port-Harcourt refinery of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) has disputed reports that activities at the refinery were “shut down.” Instead, the refinery’s operations were reduced due to a major upgrade of the facility, according to the Executive Director of Operations at the Nigerian Pipeline and Storage Company Limited (NPSC), Moyi Maidunama.
Speaking to journalists during a tour of the refinery on December 1, Maidunama explained that the operations at the refinery were reduced due to necessary improvements. “We are evacuating the refined products from the refinery, and this is obviously going to be a continuous process. We have done a couple of trucks today and intend to do many more today,” he said.
Molokwuu Joel, the terminal manager of Port-Harcourt depot, confirmed that the facility had commenced the distribution of products, including premium motor spirit (petrol), kerosene, and diesel. “We have our loading arms operational, and we have been begging them (petroleum marketers) to come in since yesterday, but because today is a weekend, that’s why they have not turned up,” he said.
The reaction comes after SaharaReporters reported that the Port-Harcourt refinery was shut down, with only its non-petroleum unit, the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), running. However, according to refinery sources, the CDU produces naphtha, kerosene, and diesel but cannot produce the component needed for the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.
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