The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Monday announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two Chinese companies for a potential Technical Equity Partnership (TEP) for the completion and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries.
The Chinese firms, a statement from the national oil company said, are Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xingcheng (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd.
The MoU was signed by the Group Chief Executive of the NNPC, Bayo Ojulari; Chairman, Sanjiang Chemical Company, Guan Jianzhong, and Chairman of Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd, Bill Bi, in Jiaxing City, China.
The potential framework, according to the NNPC, would cover completion of outstanding work at the two refineries, together with operating and maintaining both facilities to achieve best-in-class, sustainable performance.
Planned expansion and upgrades would elevate both facilities to cleaner, more profitable product standards, it added.
The potential collaboration also contemplates expanding the refineries’ petrochemical capacities and harnessing gas and downstream opportunities through the development of co-located, gas-based industrial hubs.
Speaking shortly after the signing, the GCEO of NNPC, Ojulari, described the MoU execution as a significant milestone, following more than six months of concerted engagement between the technical and management teams of NNPC and the two Chinese partners, Sanjiang and Xinganchen.
“All parties recognise mutually beneficial opportunities for the development and long-term sustainable profitability of NNPC’s refining assets in Nigeria, and the collective weight required for success,” Ojulari noted.
The GCEO further stated that the MoU is an important step on the journey towards identifying potential technical equity partner(s) to restart and expand NNPC’s refineries, and to explore opportunities in co-located petrochemicals and gas-based industries.
The MoU, the NNPC explained, reflects the parties’ shared intent to progress discussions in good faith, with any definitive arrangements to follow in due course and subject to customary approvals.
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