Barely a month after the Port Harcourt Refinery resumed operations amid much fanfare, reports indicate that the facility has ceased functioning, halting the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
Current State of Operations
By Thursday, December 19, 2024, the refinery’s 18-arm loading bay had become inactive, with no petrol being lifted since Friday, December 13. During a visit by journalists, the once-bustling depot was eerily quiet, with only a handful of trucks—nine within the yard and 18 parked along the road—observed near the facility.
The typically active parking area, usually crowded with tankers vying for access, showed little to no vehicular or human activity, signaling a return to dormancy for the refinery.
A Short-Lived Reopening
The refinery, boasting a production capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, had reopened on November 26, 2024, following a $1.5 billion rehabilitation effort approved in March 2021. The event, led by Mele Kyari, CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), was hailed as a milestone in Nigeria’s quest for energy self-sufficiency.
On the day of the reopening, petrol was reportedly lifted to much celebration. However, contrary to claims that 200 trucks departed with petrol, reports indicate fewer than 10 trucks were actually loaded. Allegations have since emerged that the petrol distributed during the ceremony was old stock stored before the refinery shut down for rehabilitation.
Underlying Issues
Stakeholders have pointed to several operational challenges. Three weeks prior to the recent shutdown, the loading bay was similarly inactive, with no product lifting taking place. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) attributed the reduced operations to meter calibration and the de-watering of existing stock, which they said needed to be cleared before new refined products could be introduced.
A Blow to Optimism
The abrupt halt in operations raises questions about the efficacy of the costly rehabilitation effort and the sustainability of the refinery’s performance. For a nation grappling with fuel shortages and dependency on imports, the situation underscores the challenges in achieving reliable and self-sustained refining capacity.
The NNPCL and relevant authorities are yet to provide clarity on the current state of the refinery or a timeline for the resumption of operations.
