DMEA: NNPCL searches for operators to run Port Harcourt refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Co. Ltd. (NNPCL) has officially tendered for operators of its 210,000 barrels per day (bpd) Port Harcourt refinery – according to a statement released by the company on September 16.

Currently undergoing rehabilitation, Port Harcourt is expected to begin processing 60,000 bpd later this year in a bid to reach full nameplate capacity by the end of 2024.

The NNPCL had previously announced that it would search for private companies to run only the Warri and Kaduna refineries in order to allow it to focus on Port Harcourt’s repairs, however, this now seems to have changed.

The company has been committed to undertaking turnaround maintenance for the three sites for the last 12 years and has continuously expressed its desire to see the projects completed in a timely manner to help Nigeria wean itself off importing petroleum products. Its first announcement – revealed on August 30 – showed that it was aiming to abandon Warri and Kaduna by letting private Operations and Maintenance (O&M) companies bid for them in favour of focusing solely on repairs at Port Harcourt. With the announcement of Port Harcourt’s upcoming sale, the NNPCL has revealed that it is looking to drop all ongoing commitments to bring the refineries back into operation.

The dramatic change in policy was first revealed in a post on the NNPCL’s Twitter/X account, which highlighted the required qualifications of companies interested in bidding for the O&M contracts. The company expressed that this would help ensure reliability in Nigeria’s energy sector.

“NNPC Ltd is seeking to engage reputable and credible Operations & Maintenance (O&M) companies to operate and maintain two of its refineries, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), to ensure reliability and sustainability to meet the nation’s fuel supply and energy security obligations,” the post said.

Now updated in a public notice, the NNPCL added that it wanted to involve “reputable and credible operations firms to operate and maintain one of its refineries, Port Harcourt Refining Company, to ensure reliability and sustainability”.

Notably, the company said previously that the plant would be producing fuel by August.

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