Port Harcourt, Warri Refineries Scheduled for Full Operation

As Nigeria grapples with fuel scarcity, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), has announced plans to fully operationalize two refineries – Port Harcourt and Warri – by the end of 2024. He also stated that the Kaduna Refinery would be operational before the end of next year. Senator Ubah emphasized that these efforts, coupled with the addition of supply from the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery, would enable Nigeria to meet its domestic fuel demand. He further urged the government and stakeholders to focus on establishing modular refineries to expand the nation’s refining capacity.

Senator Ubah expressed his commitment to ensuring the functionality of Nigeria’s refineries, asserting that two refineries would be operational by the end of the year and the Kaduna refinery by the end of next year. He highlighted the production of jet oil and lubricant by mid-next year as part of the agenda. A technical team has been established to monitor refinery operations’ progress regularly.

Similarly, Seplat Energy, a Nigerian independent oil and gas company, aims to end gas flaring by 2025. This target will be achieved with the commencement of the ASA North project and Sapele gas plant, increasing the company’s gas supply capacity to 850 million cubic feet daily. Samson Ezugworie, the Chief Operating Officer of Seplat Energy, highlighted the company’s efforts to harness associated gas, transitioning from routine gas flaring to sustainable gas utilization. He emphasized the environmental benefits of this shift and affirmed Seplat’s commitment to ending gas flaring by the second half of 2025.

These initiatives underscore the importance of sustainable energy practices and the need for collaboration between government, industry players, and stakeholders to address Nigeria’s energy challenges. Nigeria aims to enhance energy security, reduce reliance on imports, and promote environmental sustainability in its energy sector by prioritizing refinery revitalization and gas utilization.