The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has confirmed that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70% capacity, producing significant volumes of petroleum products daily.

This marks a milestone in the refinery's recovery after years of operational setbacks.

In a statement issued by Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd., the refinery produces the following outputs daily:

Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol).

Kerosene: 900,000 liters.

Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or diesel): 1.5 million liters.

Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million liters.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Additional volumes.

Blending to Meet Specifications

To meet required gasoline specifications, the refinery blends Straight-Run Gasoline with crack C5, a component from Indorama Petrochemicals. NNPC noted that this blending process is standard practice worldwide, as no single refinery unit can produce gasoline that complies fully with any country's standards without additional processing.

NNPC disclosed that efforts are underway to increase the refinery's capacity from 70% to 90%. Meanwhile, substantial progress has also been made on the new Port Harcourt Refinery, which is expected to commence operations soon.

The NNPC dismissed claims by some individuals alleging the refinery is not operational, describing such statements as "unfounded." The company emphasized the importance of focusing on achievements under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has prioritized revitalizing the nation's energy sector.

The company called on Nigerians to support its ongoing efforts to transform the energy landscape and to refrain from undermining progress with baseless criticism.

The restart of the Port Harcourt Refinery is a significant step in Nigeria's journey toward energy self-sufficiency, promising improved availability of fuel products and reduced dependence on imports.