The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has stated that it is awaiting the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reopen its portal to facilitate the lifting of petroleum products from the recently revived Warri Refinery.
The 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) Warri Refinery, which resumed operations last month following years of rehabilitation, was temporarily shut down for routine maintenance last week. NNPCL assured that the facility would soon resume operations.
Speaking to Vanguard in a telephone interview, PETROAN President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harris, confirmed that the association has an allocation to lift products from the refinery and is eager to resume once the portal is reopened.
“We were lifting from Warri Refinery before, and we intend to continue once NNPCL reopens its portal,” he stated.
Similarly, the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Maigandi Garima, revealed that marketers have been sourcing products from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery via MRS, with lifting operations occurring in Warri and Calabar.
“Hopefully, we will start lifting from the Port Harcourt Refinery this week. As for Warri and Port Harcourt refineries, we are waiting for NNPCL to begin loading for our marketers,” Garima noted.
He further disclosed that many marketers have shifted to the Dangote/MRS arrangement, reducing their reliance on traditional tank farm owners. Only those yet to complete their registration with MRS continue to source from depots.
Meanwhile, NNPCL’s Chief Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, could not be reached for comments. However, in a recent statement, he dismissed reports of an explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), calling them “completely false.”
Soneye explained that on January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC’s Area 1 were intentionally paused to conduct crucial maintenance on select equipment, particularly field instruments affecting steady operations.
“These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero). The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and Area 1 will be back in operation within the next few days,” he stated.
Despite the ongoing maintenance, AGO loading has continued at an average of eight trucks per day, ensuring adequate supply.
“NNPCL remains committed to uninterrupted product supply and appreciates the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders during this period,” Soneye added.
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