Petroleum Minister, NNPC Boss Visit Kaduna Refinery, Inspect Rehabilitation Project

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari have arrived in Kaduna Refinery & Petrochemicals for the 14th Refineries’ Rehabilitation Steering Committee Meeting.

Accompanied by officials of the NNPC Limited as well as other top government officials, the Minister will also inspect the progress of work on the ongoing Quick-Fix Project in the Refinery

The development is linked to the directive given by President Bola Tinubu for the speedy completion of the nation’s refineries.

Tinubu had promised the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress that the refineries will be functional in order to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.

The promise was among the reasons why the labour called off the national protest which was held in early August this year.

The inspection by the Minister and Kyari is coming barely a month after both officials visited the Warri Refinery to inspect the progress of work done at the facility ahead the December completion date for the project.

The NNPC Limited had in October last year endorsed the Letter of Intent with Daewoo Engineering and Construction for the revised strategy to quickly fix the Kaduna Refinery.

The signing agreement was held in the presence of former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the President of South Korea.

Kyari had said with the signing of the Letter of Intent, mobilization to site will soon commence.

Kyari had also expressed optimism that with the ongoing rehabilitation of the Port-Harcourt and Warri Refineries, the quest of the NNPC to guarantee energy security for the country had been further boosted

He had said, “Progressing our refinery rehabilitation agenda. We endorsed the LOI (Letter of Intent) for the revised strategy of quick fix for the Kaduna refinery with Daewoo in Seoul. Mobilization to site to commence shortly. Rehab activities in Portharcourt and Warri continuing. We are poised to deliver.”

The Kaduna Refinery was commissioned in 1980 to supply petroleum products to Northern Nigeria with a capacity of 50,000 Barrels Per Day.

In 1983, the capacity was expanded to 100,000 BPD by adding a second 50,000 BPD crude train dedicated to the production of lubricating oils (lubes).

In 1986, the capacity of the first crude train was expanded to 60,000 B/D. The expansions have increased the current nameplate capacity of the refinery to 110,000 B/D.