Princewill Demian
29 January 2018, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) is under closure due to unavailability of crude oil.
The Executive Director, Services (EDS), of KRPC, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, who disclosed this on Sunday, in Kaduna, said although the plants at the refinery have existed since the early 80’s, many of them are still functioning.
He noted that the Fuel Plant which was commissioned in 1980 was functioning at 60 per cent capacity, “but shut down on January 15 due to unavailability of crude oil”.
The EDS said the Lubes Plant was commissioned in 1983 and the Petrochemical Plant in 1988.
According to him, before it was shutdown, the KRPC produced four million litres of petrol (PMS) per day.
Idris explained that the plant was also producing 2.5 million litres of (AGO) Diesel and 1.6 million litres of Kerosene per day.
The official said the Plant had undergone a Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) in 2013 and currently had a workforce of 1,004 staff.
However, a source at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) revealed that it was incorporated in 1988 following the merger of the Warri Refinery and Ekpan Petrochemical Plants.
According to the source, WRPC, one of the subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), produces at installed capacity of 125,000 Barrel Per Stream Day (BPSD).
“The WRPC was incorporated in 1988 following the merger of the Warri Refinery and Ekpan Petrochemical Plants which was producing a nameplate capacity of 100,000 BPSD. Following the merger, WRPC is now designed to produce installed capacity of 125,000 BPSD,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, remarked that it was disgraceful that none of the nation’s refineries is performing up to 50 percent capacity.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa while receiving a delegation from oil firm, Eni, led by its Chief Upstream Officer, Mr Antonio Vella, Buhari said, “In my first coming, all our refineries were working. Port Harcourt used to refine 60,000 barrels per day, and it was later upgraded to 100,000 barrels.
“Kaduna and Warri were also working optimally, and we used to satisfy the demand of the local market. We equally exported 100,000 barrels of refined petrol. Now, no refinery is performing up to 50%. It is a disgraceful thing,” he said.
