Uncertainty As Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Operations, Loading Bay Empty

Activities at the Port Harcourt Refining Company, which commenced operation on Tuesday, have reportedly been halted with the loading bay empty.

Naija News reports that the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Melee Kyari, inaugurated the new plant at the Area 5 terminal of the refinery, stating that 200 petrol trucks were loading daily from the plant.

However, the announcement was met with skepticism as reports circulated that the trucks were loaded with old products in the storage tanks.

According to Punch, there were no signs of activity during a visit to the plant, as some workers claimed that the refinery was undergoing calibration, which might last till next week.

An official on-site revealed that the loaded trucks contained dead stock, noting that the large quantity of refined petrol was “off-spec,” requiring separation from water to obtain the main product in preferred colours.

The worker, who spoke anonymously, highlighted that refineries worldwide should operate electronically, not manually, adding that during Kyari’s visit on Tuesday, seven trucks were prepared for loading, but only five were filled with petrol.

The source said, “Before the refinery was shut down between 2015/2016, we had dead stock left in the tank, including some Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) DPK (kerosene), and Automated Gas Oil (diesel).

“So, these products were in large quantities in stores in those tanks. During the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Old Area 5, those products were evacuated from the tanks for storage.

“But for DPK, it is in large quantity but they have not pushed it from the tank where it was kept after refined ready for commercial purposes.

“So, the product that was loaded was dead stock, that is the old product that was in the system. So, after these dead stocks, they will have to clean the tank, remove all the debris before pumping the new project into that tank, and redye it.

“But what they are trying to do at the Port Harcourt Refinery is manual, which cannot match the new digital pumps. Most of the pumps used for the event were refurbished.”

It would be recalled that the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Taken Ikpaki, while speaking to journalists during the inauguration of the facility on Tuesday, stated that more trucks were expected to come into the facility to load products in the coming days.

However, rather than more trucks coming into the refinery, the number of trucks has dwindled.

Naija News learnt that most workers and drivers at the facility were reportedly seen idle as no machinery was operational.

Nine trucks were also parked, but the loading bay, numbered from one to 18, was empty and deserted, with some workers lying down.

When asked about the lack of loading activity, a worker said, “They are de-watering, removing the water under the PMS. Maybe there will be loading after that, but we don’t know what time today.”

A resident of Alode in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, identified himself as Osaro, said, “After that ceremony with Mele Kyari where they said the refinery had started operation and loading was taking place, what happened afterwards? They continued loading on air, that is on the pages of newspapers and social media.”

Speaking on the absence of activity at the facility, the National Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Joseph Obelle, said it resulted from ongoing calibration.

He said, “They are calibrating the loading pumps. They will be done today.”

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