By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured that the Port Harcourt Refining Company will begin full operations and start delivering refined products by September 2022.
NNPC officially signed the $1.5bn contract with Tecnimont SPA in April to rehabilitate the refinery.
Speaking to the Punch, the Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Kennie Obateru, assured Nigerians that some part of the facility would deliver products in September 2022.
He, however, noted that the entire rehabilitation programme would be over in 44 months, stressing that the contractor had already mobilised to site.
He said, “The work is progressing. We said it will be completed within 18 to 44 months when counting from April this year. By 18 months, some part of the refinery will be producing. The total rehabilitation job will be completed in 44 months.
“Why we said between 18 and 44 months is the fact that it will not be at the end of 44 months before the refinery starts working, but that in 18 months, some sections of the refinery will start producing.”
When asked specifically if refined petroleum products would be produced from the facility in 18 months’ time, Obateru replied, “Yes, some aspects of the plant will be producing (products).”