Port Harcourt Refinery Begins Sales Of Petrol At N1,030 Per Litre As Operations Stabilize
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The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refinery is now operational and selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N1,030 per litre.
This announcement, made on Thursday evening, follows a series of claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) regarding the refinery’s rehabilitation and performance.
In a statement, PETROAN’s spokesperson, Joseph Obele, disclosed that NNPC Retail Limited has officially communicated the new price for PMS at the refurbished Port Harcourt facility, adding that the product request portal is now open for bookings.
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Obele emphasized the ongoing analysis by PETROAN’s strategic pricing team to determine the most favorable pricing for its members, noting, “We are open to patronizing all refineries in Nigeria.”
Despite concerns raised by some critics about the refinery’s operational status, Obele vehemently defended the functionality of the old Port Harcourt refinery.
“We state emphatically that the old Port Harcourt refinery is functional and producing refined petroleum products at the moment,” he said.
On November 26, 2024, NNPC’s top management, led by Mele Kyari, took stakeholders and journalists on a tour of the refinery to provide first-hand information.
According to Obele, the old refinery is currently operating at 70 percent of its installed capacity, with plans to increase production to 90 percent.
The claims come as a response to allegations that the refinery is merely a blending plant and not truly operational.
However, Obele reassured the public, urging those doubting the refinery’s capabilities to visit the facility, which is still producing petroleum products.
“It is important to clarify that the functional plant in operation is the old refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, while the new Port Harcourt refinery, which has a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, is still under rehabilitation and set to commence production soon,” he clarified.
PETROAN also disclosed that the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources recently conducted a fact-finding visit to the site, affirming the refinery’s operational status.
The committee, along with stakeholders and members of the host community, witnessed petroleum trucks loading at the Port Harcourt refinery depot.
