Port Harcourt Refinery: Blending is necessary to bring products to countries’ specifications – Mele Kyari

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Mele Kyari, has personally defended the blending process reportedly associated with the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, saying it is necessary to bring petroleum products to countries’ specifications.

This was disclosed in a statement by Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd, on Wednesday.

NNPC Ltd. also insisted that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery is up and running, with loading operations in full swing, debunking contrary reports in some quarters.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, gave this confirmation and clarification at the commissioning of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Towers in Lagos on Wednesday.

No crime in blending

According to Kyari, “Blending is not a crime, as it is an integral part of the refining process.”

He stressed that blending is necessary to meet a country’s specifications and to ensure that the product is not harmful to vehicles.

“If you don’t blend, you will end up with off-spec products, which will damage your vehicles. Every refinery blends because what is on specification in the United States of America may be off-spec in Nigeria and elsewhere. Blending is necessary to bring products to the specifications of different countries or regions,” he added.

Kyari seized the moment to extend an invitation to human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, “and all those in doubt,” to join NNPC Ltd on a tour of the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna to verify their status.
He disclosed that the President’s interventions in the oil and gas industry through Executive Orders are yielding positive results, leading to more investments coming into Nigeria and promising more jobs in the industry.

Kyari also congratulated NUPENG on the successful completion of its Towers, adding that the union should continue to prioritize dialogue and cooperation in its relationship with NNPC Ltd. and the Federal Government.

What you should know

Last Tuesday, NNPCL defended the outputs of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, maintaining that blending is a standard practice globally.

NNPCL’s response on Tuesday, in a statement signed by Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, addressed a report claiming that the refinery, instead of processing crude oil, purchased “Cracked C5 petroleum resins” and blended them with other products, including Naphtha, to sell to the Nigerian public as if the refinery had processed them.
Soneye stated that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90%. He added that claims by “certain individuals suggesting that the refinery is not producing products” are untrue.
President Bola Tinubu commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for successfully reviving the Port Harcourt refinery, which began petroleum product loading on November 26, 2024.
Tinubu also urged the firm to expedite the scheduled reactivation of the second Port Harcourt refinery as well as the Warri and Kaduna refineries.

The issue of “blending” has been a substantial point of discussion among relevant oil and gas stakeholders, including Dangote Refinery.

SOURCE: NAIRAMETRICS