Page 12 - DMEA Week 40 2021

DMEA REFINING DMEA

NNPC updates on Port

Harcourt revamp progress

AFRICA THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. The Italian company had carried out a 50mn,
(NNPC) this week provided an update on work six-month ‘integrity check’ in 2019 with fellow
to rehabilitate the country’s largest refinery com- Italian firm Eni contracted as technical adviser.
plex, which is expected to resume almost full This work included equipment inspection at the
operations by 2023. site, as well as “relevant engineering and plan-
In a statement, managing director Mele Kyari ning activities”.
said that Italian engineering, procurement and Speaking at a technical kick-off meeting at
construction (EPC) contractor Maire Tecni- the PHRC complex in Alesa Eleme, Rivers State
mont is proceeding with work to return the Port NNPC executive director for refineries and pet-
Harcourt Refining Co. (PHRC) to 90% of its rochemicals Mustapha Yakubu said: “Everything
nameplate 210,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity has been put in place to ensure that the project
during the timeframe. is delivered hitch-free and on schedule,” noting
Repairing the old refinery, known as Area 5, that the facility will return to at least 90% capac-
is the first part of the plan to allow first refined ity when it resumes operation.
products to be delivered by September next year. Meanwhile, NNPC’s head of public affairs,
“We are happy we have the contractor on Kennie Obateru told Punch daily in August that
board. With the strong collaboration of all par- Tecnimont had already mobilised workers to the
ties involved, we will achieve the desired results,” site. “The work is progressing,” he said. “We said
Kyari said. it will be completed within 18 to 44 months when
He added: “We have both government and counting from April this year. By 18 months,
private sector financing. We have the Finance some parts of the refinery will be producing. The
Ministry, NEITI, labour unions and other stake- total rehabilitation job will be completed in 44
holders on board this project.” months.”
The $1.5bn EPC was awarded to Maire Tecni- NNPC’s entire 445,000 bpd refining capacity
mont in April following the agreement of a $1bn has been shut in for nearly two years following
loan from Cairo-based African Export-Import failure to carry out appropriate turnaround
Bank (Afreximbank) in February. maintenance (TAM) for four decades.™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 40 07•October•2021