Port harcourt refinery reportedly halts operations barely 3 days after resumption

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has abruptly halted crude oil processing, just three days after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd announced the refinery's resumption of operations. A visit to the facility on Friday, November 29, revealed an eerily inactive site, with no visible signs of activity, according to Punch. Workers at the refinery reportedly stated that the plant is undergoing a calibration process, which might continue into next week.

Earlier this week, NNPC claimed that petroleum products such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and Household Kerosene (HHK) were being loaded onto trucks at the refinery. However, Punch cited an anonymous refinery official who revealed that the trucks loaded on Tuesday, November 26, were filled with “dead stock.”

The official explained that the dead stock consisted of old reserves of PMS, DPK (kerosene), and AGO (diesel) left in tanks before the facility was shut down in 2015/2016. These products, stored during the refinery's rehabilitation, were now being processed, although the petrol was described as “off-spec,” requiring treatment to separate water and refine it for use. The kerosene, while available in large quantities, had yet to be prepared for commercial distribution. He added that after utilizing the dead stock, the tanks would need cleaning to remove debris before introducing fresh products and redyeing them.

NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Femi Soneye, had earlier stated on November 26 that the refinery was operating at 60% capacity, processing 60,000 barrels per day. He dismissed claims by a local community leader, Timothy Mgbere, that the refinery was not producing fuel. Soneye clarified that the old and new Port Harcourt refineries are integrated, sharing utilities such as power and storage tanks, enabling either facility to receive products. He urged the public to disregard such allegations, calling them “sheer mischief and blatant ignorance.”