Warri Refinery Rehabilitation Nears Completion, Expected in Q1: NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has disclosed that the mechanical completion of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) is on track and expected to be finalized in the first quarter of this year.

Located in Warri, Delta State, WRPC stands as one of Nigeria’s three refineries under NNPC’s management.

Established in 1978, the refinery holds significance in the country’s petroleum industry landscape alongside the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State.

All three facilities are currently undergoing rehabilitation efforts by the government.

WRPC, a complex conversion refinery, possesses the capacity to refine 125,000 barrels of crude oil daily.

Also, the facility boasts a petrochemical plant established in 1988, producing essential materials such as polypropylene and carbon black.

While the refinery presently remains non-operational due to ongoing rehabilitation, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed that the target for mechanical completion is within the first quarter of 2024.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, reiterated the government’s commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s refining infrastructure during a recent update.

Despite acknowledging the magnitude of the rehabilitation efforts, Lokpobiri expressed optimism that both the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries would soon resume operations.

NNPC’s proactive stance and strategic rehabilitation initiatives align with the nation’s broader objectives of achieving energy security and bolstering local refining capacities.

As WRPC edges closer to mechanical completion, stakeholders anticipate a significant milestone that could catalyze positive developments in Nigeria’s energy sector.