The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reached another milestone in its efforts to boost local refining of petroleum products as the 125, 000 barrels per day Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) is now said to be up and running.
This Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari made this public during a tour of the facility on Monday by some Stakeholders including the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmen.
Addressing the team before the commencement of the tour Kyari was quoted as saying “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process. Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real,” Kyari said
He Congratulated the NNPCL team for their determination and extreme belief that this plant could be restarted.
“This has brought the result we are seeing in collaboration with our contractors. We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down. We have proved this “, he warmly stated.
According to him,” the plant has three stages. We have started stage one which is called Area 1, able to produce AGO (diesel), Kerosene, naphtha and others. These are brands of high-quality products required in the country. We will also be able to export them. This country will make money to meet the promises of Mr president that this country will be an exporter of petroleum products.
“I must put on record, the development was as a result of the charge by Mr President that we must get all three refineries to work. It is already happening. We have successfully started the Port Harcourt 65, 000 barrels per day refinery. We have also started the area 1 of the Warri refinery. The other plants that will produce PMS will also come live.
Kiyari who pointed out that Kaduna refinery is also on stream however made it clear that they are not going to give a specific date as they intend springing a surprise regarding the commencement.
Commissioned in 1978 and managed by the NNPCL, the WRPC located at the Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, Warri, the Petrochemical plant produces 13,000 million tons per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black was built to supply markets in the south and southwest regions of Nigeria.
The spokesman for the NNPCL Olufemi Soneye in his statement said the mechanical completion of the facility was earlier scheduled for the first quarter of this year.
The development comes following the commencement of crude refining by the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
