Port Harcourt refinery yet to commence bulk sales – NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) on Friday said the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has not yet commenced bulk sales or opened its purchase portal.

The NNPC Ltd made this known in reaction to reports that the refinery will sell its petrol at N1,030 per litre.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) National Public Relations Officer Joseph Obele in a statement on Friday said NNPC Retail Ltd has officially announced the petrol price at the Port Harcourt refinery as N1,030 per litre.

Mr Obele said the company communicated to PETROAN that the product request portal was open for booking /request.

“Meanwhile PETROAN strategic pricing team are currently analysing the most favourable price for her members as we are open to patronising all the refineries in Nigeria. PETROAN also employs NNPC Retail Ltd should further reduce the price in view of giving Nigerians a blissful Yuletide celebration,” Mr Obele said.

In his reaction on Friday night, Olufemi Soneye, the chief corporate communications officer of NNPC Ltd said essential processes are still being finalised, noting that it currently sells products purchased from the Dangote Refinery.

The NNPC assured that its prices are reviewed and adjusted periodically as necessary to reflect operational realities, adding that the products from the Port Harcourt Refinery are exclusively for its retail stores at this stage.

The NNPC advised the public to disregard any misleading information regarding pricing, noting that official announcements will be made if and when price reviews occur.

“The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has not yet commenced bulk sales or opened its purchase portal, as essential processes are still being finalised.

“Currently, the products we are selling originate from the Dangote Refinery and include applicable Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fees. Products from PHRC are exclusively for our retail stores at this stage. Our pricing is reviewed and adjusted periodically as necessary to reflect operational realities.

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“We advise the public to disregard any misleading information regarding pricing. Official announcements will be made if and when price reviews occur. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,” Mr Soneye said.

On Tuesday, the NNPC Ltd said the Port Harcourt refinery had commenced production after a long period of rehabilitation.

The NNPC Ltd said the refinery began truck loading of petroleum products on Tuesday, 26 November.

The Port Harcourt Refineries comprise two units, with the old plant having a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) and the new plant 150,000 bpd, both summing up to 210,000 bpd.

The refinery was shut down in March 2019 for the first phase of repair works after the government secured the service of Italy’s Maire Tecnimont to handle the review of the refinery complex, with oil major Eni appointed technical adviser.