Ike Amos
Abuja — The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Sunday, announced plans to grant Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, NDPR, a Licence to Operate (LTO) for the establishment of an additional 5,000 barrels per day modular refinery at Ogbele, Ahoada in Rivers State.
In a statement in Abuja, Director/Chief Executive Officer of the DPR, Engr. Sarki Auwalu, disclosed that in addition to its maiden 1,000 barrels per Day (BPD) Diesel Topping Refining Plant, NDPR had consolidated on its capacity by expanding the plant with an additional 5,000 BPD.
He noted that when completed, the refinery would reduce importation of petroleum products with corresponding savings in foreign exchange and employment generation for the country’s teeming youths.
According to him, this laudable project was expected to catalyse further growth of the Nigerian refining industry by attracting more investments as more players gain confidence.
The expansion, he said, provided for other products slate to include kerosene, marine diesel and heavy fuel oil to cater to the Nigerian market.
Auwalu noted that major equipment and units of the second train of 5,000 BPD had been fabricated, inspected, tested and modules are currently being shipped to Nigeria.
He said, “When installed, the upgraded refining complex will bring the total refining capacity to 11,000 BPD and will then have the requisite units to produce diesel (512,775 litres/day), kerosene (317,205 litres/day), marine diesel (281,907 litres/day) and heavy fuel oil (234,525 litres/day), and particularly Premium Motor Spirit/gasoline (168,540 litres/day).
“The DPR provided necessary regulatory guidance and technical support throughout the project development phases for NDPR to contribute about 4.2% of national daily diesel demand and about o.4% for gasoline in Nigeria.
“Having achieved these giant strides, the DPR is set to grant NDPR a ‘Licence to Operate’ (LTO) the plant expected to be commissioned soon.”
Auwalu explained that this was part of the DPR’s drive to realise the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and other similar Federal Government initiatives aimed at deepening local refining in Nigeria.
He commended the giant strides of the NDPR, a subsidiary of Niger Delta Exploration & Production Plc (NDEP) in pioneering modular refinery in the country.
He further directed all modular refinery ‘Licence to Establish’ (LTE) holders to demonstrate expected performance within the two years validity of the Licence to enable them obtain ‘Approval to Construct’ (ATC) and other milestone approvals.
