By Cross Udo, Abuja
The 125,000 barrels per day Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) in Warri, Delta State, is now up and running.
This was disclosed yesterday by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), during a tour of the facility.
Before the facility tour began, Kyari addressed the team, saying, “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100 percent complete, we are still in the process. Many people think these things are not real. They believe real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.
“I must congratulate our team for their determination and belief that this company can restart this plant. This has resulted 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.
“This 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.
“Kaduna is also on stream. We will not give you a date, but we will surprise you.”
The tour team included Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
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.
Commissioned in 1978 and managed by the NNPCL, the WRPC was built to supply markets in the south-south and south-west regions.
According to Olufemi Soneye, the spokesperson for the NNPCL, the facility’s mechanical completion was earlier scheduled for the first quarter of this year.
“Warri should be done by Q1 (first quarter) 2024,” he stated.
The other two include the old and new Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State.
The development came following the recent commencement of crude refining at the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
*Tinubu upbeat, lauds NNPCL over re-opening of 125,000 bpd facility
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has expressed his profound joy at the re-opening of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company by NNPCL, describing it as another remarkable achievement in 2024 that has strengthened Nigerians’ hope in his administration.
In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President said, “Today, the Warri Refinery returned to operation weeks after NNPC Limited restarted the 60,000 Barrels per day at the Port Harcourt Refinery in November.”
The statement further said, “With Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) going into operation after several years of inactivity, President Tinubu has once again expressed his administration’s determination to ramp up local refining capacity and make Nigeria a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa.”
It stated that the All Progressives Congress-led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari awarded the contract for the complete rehabilitation and overhaul of the four state-owned refineries.
Tinubu noted with confidence that the 125,000 (bpd) Warri Refinery is now operating at 60 percent capacity, indicating that his administration’s comprehensive plan to ensure energy efficiency and security is entirely on course.
He praised the Mele Kyari-led management of the NNPCL for working hard to restore Nigeria’s glory and pride as a major oil-producing country.
“The restart of Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me and Nigerians. This will further strengthen the hope and confidence of Nigerians for a more fantastic and better future that we promised.
“This development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery. I am equally happy that NNPC Limited is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to good working condition.
“I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for working hard to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa,” President Tinubu said.
He enjoined NNPCL to accelerate repair work on Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 (bpd) second refinery in Port Harcourt to consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider.
“WRPC will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene (SRK), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and heavy and light Naphtha,” the statement added.
