The Port Harcourt Refinery is set to start operations following the supply of 475,000 barrels of crude oil by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited.

The crude oil supply is the first to be made in the past few years, due mainly to the poor state of the plant, which called for the recent rehabilitation and testing to ensure readiness for sustainable operations.

Confirming the oil supply, Shell said: “This significant milestone was made possible through intensive preparations, collaboration and the dedication of the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal, BOGT and Port Harcourt Refinery Company, PHRC teams.”

It stated that some activities, including pressure and leak testing to assure pipeline integrity by relevant subsidiaries of the NNPC Limited and integrity and maintenance activities on the Oil and Gas Terminal, BOT Refinery export pumps and associated instrumentations were carried out at the terminal through diligent efforts of the BOT operations and maintenance teams.

“The recommencement of crude oil supply from the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal to Port Harcourt Refinery is a significant achievement and a game-changer for the industry and the country. The intensive preparations, collaboration and dedication of both teams involved were instrumental in overcoming challenges and ensuring a safe and efficient supply operation.

“This milestone will support the government’s aspiration of steady supply of petroleum products to the downstream market and other associated benefits to the economy of the nation,” Shell stated.

Already, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd said it has fulfilled its pledge of achieving the mechanical completion of rehabilitation work on Area 5 Plant of the PHRC.

It stated that rehabilitation work has been ongoing at the Refinery for over two years and the NNPC Ltd. had pledged to complete Phase One of the project (mechanical completion and flare start-up) of Old Port Harcourt Refinery (Area 5) by 31st December 2023. Speaking during an inspection tour of the rehabilitation project, which also coincided with the 15th Refineries’ Rehabilitation Steering Committee Meeting, the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Mr. Mele Kyari, had said as of December 15th, 2023, 84.4% of Area 5 Plant, a key component of the Refinery, and 77.4% of the entire rehabilitation project has been completed.

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