The NNPC Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC), which has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, is now operational in Warri, Delta State.
This information was shared by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), during a tour of the facility on Monday.
Before the tour began, Kyari addressed the team, stating, “We are taking you through our plant. While it is not 100 per cent complete, it is currently running. Many people believe these things are not real, and that significant progress is impossible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.”
He continued, “I must congratulate our team for their determination and strong belief that we could restart this plant. This achievement is a result of our collaboration with contractors. We have demonstrated that it is possible to restart a plant that was deliberately shut down.”
Kyari explained that the plant consists of three stages, with stage one—referred to as Area 1—currently operational. This section is capable of producing high-quality products such as diesel (AGO), kerosene, and naphtha. These products are vital for the country, and there is potential for export as well. “This country will generate revenue to fulfil the president’s promise that we will become an exporter of petroleum products,” he added.
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Kyari noted that this development was prompted by President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to ensure all three refineries are operational, and progress is being made. The Port Harcourt refinery, with a capacity of 65,000 barrels per day, has also recently restarted operations. Additionally, the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company is set to come online in due course, although Kyari refrained from providing specific timelines, saying, “We will surprise you.”
Among those on the tour was Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The WRPC, located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, has a capacity to produce 13,000 million tons per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.
Originally commissioned in 1978 and managed by NNPCL, the WRPC was established to supply markets in Nigeria’s southern and southwestern regions.
The mechanical completion of the facility was initially scheduled for the first quarter of this year, according to NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, who stated, “Warri should be completed by Q1 2024.”
The other refineries include the old and new Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State. The recent progress follows the commencement of crude refining at the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
