The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said the country’s refineries are not too old and that it is still effective in refining operations.

NNPC Chief Operating Officer, Refineries, Mr Kragha Anibor disclosed this at a panel session at the ongoing Nigerian International Petroleum Summit (NIPS), Wednesday in Abuja.

While speaking on the topic ‘Refining, Transportation and Petrochemical’, Anibor said the major problem of the corporation to bring the refineries to work was funding, adding that government had continued to ensure the best way to manage the refineries.

He said government would not sell off the refineries without putting them in a shape that financiers would be able to come in to fund the revamping for them to operate optimally.

He said the Port Harcourt refinery had its last Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) in 2000, Warri in 2004 and Kaduna in 2008.

He said the government would continue to ensure adequate and best agreement with investors for the refineries to ensure the best for the industry.

Commenting on the growing refining gap, he said the nation’s fuel need would be 45 million litres per day by 2025.

He projected that when the refineries are in good shape they would be producing about 22.5 million litres per day.

He added that Dangote refinery when it comes on stream would be producing about 53 million litres per day which when added to that from our refineries, would be over the daily need of the country.

He assured that efforts were on to ensure that Port Harcourt refinery would be up and running by 2020.

In his comment, Mr Emmanuel Iheanacho, Chairman Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, said that viable refineries would help to add value to development in Nigeria.

He said there was an urgent need to address the imbalance in the system and find a way to advance local refining.

“We need to use technology for refining; price regulation is also a very important issue to look into,” he added.

Also, Mr Huub Stillman, Chief Executive Officer, OVH Energy Marketing, said Nigeria was one of the few OPEC members without efficient refineries.

“Nigeria with its location and population must have a refinery that is working efficiently.

“Activities on revamping the existing refineries are a good one; you have to sustain it, and you need to develop skills for maintenance.

“You must ensure that whether it is modular or main refinery, they must produce clean fuel and must be built to operate at 90 per cent capacity and be competitive.

“With that, the country will make money out of it,” he said.

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