Port Harcourt Refinery Scales Down Operations for Major Upgrades

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has clarified that its operations have not been completely shut down but temporarily scaled back to enable critical upgrades to the facility.

This disclosure was made on Sunday by Moyi Maidunama, Executive Director of Operations at the Nigerian Pipeline and Storage Company Limited, during a guided tour of the refinery led by PHRC Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja.

Addressing journalists, Maidunama acknowledged a brief disruption in operations but emphasized that the reduction was necessary to resolve technical challenges and boost operational capacity.

“Our operations were not halted; they were adjusted to allow for essential improvements,” Maidunama explained. “We are currently managing product evacuation with available trucks and a few loading arms, which we expect to resolve soon.”

Despite the scale-down, Maidunama assured stakeholders that product distribution remains ongoing, with trucks actively loading and dispatching refined products.

Worlu Joel, Terminal Manager at the Port Harcourt Depot, confirmed the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), kerosene, and diesel from the facility. However, he highlighted concerns over the low turnout of tanker drivers.

“We have an ample supply of products and operational loading arms, but we’ve had to encourage tanker drivers to come and evacuate. So far, we’ve loaded over ten trucks and aim to dispatch at least 15 before the day ends,” Joel stated.

He further noted that although the depot operates with 11 functional loading bays, only three are in use due to their high efficiency, capable of loading three trucks in just 15 minutes.

“With 100 trucks available, we could complete evacuation in under five hours,” Joel added confidently.

PHRC Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja highlighted the extensive upgrades at the refinery, describing them as significant steps toward improving efficiency and reliability.

“The plant is operational, and we’re actively trucking out products. We’ve undertaken a massive overhaul, replacing key equipment such as pumps, instrumentation, and cables. This is a comprehensive upgrade of the facility,” Onoja remarked.

The PHRC team reiterated its commitment to consistent product distribution and ongoing improvements to ensure the refinery operates at optimal capacity.