The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has commenced the rehabilitation of $1.5 billion Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC).
The NNPC’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Kennie Obateru, in a statement on Friday assured Nigerians that the project will not fail.
He quoted the NNPC Chief Operating Officer, Refineries & Petrochemicals, Engr. Mustapha Yakubu, as saying everything is being done to ensure that the project is delivered on schedule.
Yakubu spoke at the technical kick-off meeting for the project at the Port Harcourt Refinery Complex, Alesa Eleme, Rivers State.
“It must be hitch-free; we are engaging the host communities appropriately. 200 million Nigerians are looking up to us and we can’t afford to fail. We’ve been on this journey since 2019,” he added.
The project will require 3,000 workers at the peak of activities. About 70 are expatriates while the rest would be sourced locally.
NNPC Managing Director, Mele Kyari, represented by the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, said the refinery would be back to life on or before April 5, 2023.
The corporation disclosed that the target is to fix the old refinery first so that local refining can resume. The project contractor is Maire Technimont SPA.
An official, Masu Alberto, recalled that the rehabilitation journey started in 2017 with an integrity test of the refinery.
“In 2019, we did work on it and then now. We’re deploying a good number of engineers”, Alberto said.
The company will refurbish the technical building, replace the fire-fighting and deluge sprinkler systems, refurbish 24 offsite tanks, replace electrical equipment in the substation, install primary earthing integration and a new lighting system.
The project also covers the replacement of pumps, turbines, one expander, boilers, three compressor fans and blowers, tanks, vessel and drums, among others.
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