The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has expressed readiness to resume lifting petroleum products from the Warri Refinery once the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) reopens its portal.
The 125,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery, which resumed operations about a month ago after years of rehabilitation, was recently shut down for routine maintenance, according to NNPCL.
PETROAN, IPMAN Await Refinery Resumption
Speaking in a telephone interview, PETROAN President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harris, confirmed that the association already has an allocation to lift products from the refinery.
“We have an allocation to lift from Warri Refinery. We were lifting from there before, and we are waiting for NNPCL to open its portal so we can continue,” he stated.
Similarly, Alhaji Maigandi Garima, National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), revealed that many of their members now lift products from Dangote Petroleum Refinery via MRS in Warri and Calabar.
“Hopefully, we will start lifting from Port Harcourt Refinery this week. As for Warri and Port Harcourt refineries, we are waiting for NNPCL to start loading for our marketers,” he said.
Garima also noted a shift in preference among marketers, with many favoring the Dangote/MRS arrangement over traditional tank farm owners.
NNPCL Denies Explosion, Confirms Routine Maintenance
Meanwhile, NNPCL’s Chief Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, recently dismissed rumors of an explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), describing such claims as “completely false.”
According to Soneye, on January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to allow for critical intervention works on select equipment affecting steady operations.
“These intervention works are necessary to ensure the production of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero). Maintenance is progressing as planned, and Area 1 will be back in operation in a few days,” he explained.
Despite ongoing maintenance, AGO loading has continued at an average of eight trucks per day, ensuring adequate supply.
NNPCL reassured stakeholders of uninterrupted product availability and appreciated their patience as the maintenance process nears completion.
