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Port Harcourt Refinery admits scaling down operations for upgrade

The Port Harcourt Refining Company explained that activities were not fully suspended, but rather reduced back to allow for facility renovations.

Moyi Maidunama, Executive Director of Operations at Nigerian Pipeline and Storage Company Limited, said this on Sunday during a guided tour of the refinery conducted by Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja.

Speaking with journalists, Maidunama recognized a short pause in operations but stated that the reduction was required to fix technical issues and increase capacity.

He explained, "So, operations were not halted. It was clearly lowered due to several changes that needed to be made.


"We are managing the procedure with the number of vehicles available today, utilizing a few loading arms for evacuation. This should be handled shortly.

He assured everyone that product distribution was underway, with many trucks loading refined products, and that the process would continue uninterrupted.

Worlu Joel, the Terminal Manager of the Port Harcourt Depot, stated that the facility has begun distributing supplies including as Premium Motor Spirit, kerosene, and fuel.


He, however, raised concern over the low turnout of tanker drivers.

He stated, "We have surplus products and operational loading arms, but we've had to beg tanker drivers to come and evacuate the products."

"We've loaded more than ten trucks already and expect to dispatch at least 15 before the day ends."

Joel explained that the depot has 11 functioning loading bays, but only three are currently in use due to their high efficiency. Each bay, he said, can load three trucks in 15 minutes.

"If you give us 100 trucks today, we can evacuate them in less than five hours," he predicted.

Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja highlighted the refinery's progress, stating that it has undergone major modifications to boost efficiency and dependability.

"The facility is operating, and we're shipping out our products.


"We completed a huge overhaul, replacing the majority of the equipment, including pumps, instrumentation, and cables. Onoja stated: "What we've done here is a significant upgrade of the facility."

The PHRC team reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining consistent product distribution while making continual improvements to the refinery's overall operations.

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