*Over 8mb unaccounted for
OpeOluwani Akintayo
06 October 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Nigeria’s refineries handled a total of 844.19 million barrels of crude oil from 1997 to 2014, statistics obtained from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS has shown.
According to the bureau’s latest release, the yearly domestic crude oil refining data from 1997 to 2014, reflected that while 844.19m of crude oil was received within the period, 835.58m barrels were processed, leaving a differential of 8.61mb unaccounted for.
NBS neither stated why the over 8mb were not refined and where they were deposited.
A breakdown of the numbers showed that in 1997, approximately 80, 473 mb was received by the refineries while 78, 002 mb was processed.
In 1998, 52, 422 mb was received while 54, 304 mb was processed, showing an excess of over 2mb refined. NBS did not also state how they came about the excess 2mb refined- whether it was a carry-over from that of 1997 figure.
Then in 1999, over 65, 979 mb was received but 66, 409 mb was refined – an excess of over 1mb refined- no explanation was also provided as to how the excess refined crude was got.
In the year 2000, over 36, 189mb was sent to the refineries, however, over 36, 282mb was also processed – no explanation offered on the excess here too.
In 2001, the refineries received over 82,579mb but could refine 81,512mb.
Again in 2002, over 78, 161mb was received however, 79, 579mb was refined.
While 42, 745mb was received in 2003, over 44, 812mb was refined.
In 2004, over 38, 020mb was sent to the refineries while 38, 026mb was refined.
In 2005, approximately 72, 361mb was received but 70, 637mb was refined.
In 2006, over 42, 472mb was received, again, a higher amount of over 43, 445mb was refined.
In 2007, NBS said over 18, 191mb was received by the refineries but over 19, 056mb was processed.
In addition, in 2008, approximately 45, 533mb was received but 39, 265mb was refined.
Approximately 19, 393mb was received in 2009 however, approximately 17, 746mb was refined.
In 2010, 0ver 33, 634mb of crude oil was received by the refineries however, 34, 872mb was refined.
In 2011, over 40, 406mb was received by the refineries but it could refine 39, 408mb.
In 2012, approximately 33, 595mb was received but refining pegged at 33, 629 approximately.
In 2013, over 36, 193mb was received but 35, 233 million barrels was processed approximately.
Lastly in 2014, approximately 25, 839mb was received by the refineries while they could refine 23, 360mb.
On year-on-year growth in crude oil refining within the reviewed period, showed that in 1998, Nigeria’s refining capacity slides by -30.1 percent (%), in 1999 22.1%, in 2000 -45.4%, in 2001 124.5%, in 2002 dropped by -2.4%, in 2003 -43.7%, in 2004 -15.1%, in 2005 85.8%, in 2006 -38.5%, in 2007 -56.1, in 2008 106.1%, in 2009 -54.8, in 2010 96.5%, in 2011 13.1%, in 2012 -14.7%,in 2013 4.8%, and in 2014 -33.7%.
