The Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC), which can process 125,000 barrels daily, is now operational in Warri, Delta State. This information was shared by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), during his visit to the facility on Monday.
Kyari acknowledged that it was not operating at full capacity but was operational.
“This plant is operational. Although we have not completed every aspect, we are still progressing. Many individuals doubt the reality of these projects. They believe tangible advancements are impossible in this nation. We wish for you to witness that this is indeed real.”
“This accomplishment is the result of our cooperation with the contractors. We have demonstrated that restarting a facility that has been intentionally shut down is feasible. We have validated this.
“The plant has a three-stage process. We have commenced with stage one, Area 1, which can produce AGO (diesel), kerosene, naphtha, and more. These are premium products that are in demand domestically. Additionally, we will be able to export them. This nation will generate revenue to fulfil the commitments made by the President to transform this country into a petroleum product exporter.
“It’s important to note that this progress was driven by the President’s directive for us to operationalize all three refineries. This is already in motion. We have successfully activated the Port Harcourt refinery, which processes 65,000 barrels per day. We have also initiated operations in Area 1 of the Warri refinery. The other facilities that will produce PMS will also become functional.”
Situated in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, Warri, the petrochemical plant has an annual production capacity of 13,000 MTA of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.
Established in 1978 and currently overseen by the NNPCL, the WRPC was designed to cater to markets in Nigeria’s southern and southwestern regions.
The facility’s mechanical completion was previously anticipated for the first quarter of this year, as stated by Olufemi Soneye, spokesperson for the NNPCL.
This progress follows the recent commencement of crude oil refining at the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
