Shell Plc’s Nigeria unit has announced the resumption of crude oil supply from its Bonny export terminal to the state-owned refinery in Port Harcourt, with operations expected to commence in the first quarter of this year. The dual-unit plant, currently undergoing revamp, is nearing completion and will initially process 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil, with plans to ramp up to its full capacity of 210,000 bpd later in the year.
Osita Nnajiofor, manager of Shell’s Bonny oil terminal, revealed that a total of 475,000 barrels of oil were delivered to the Port Harcourt refinery on January 18. He emphasized that future supplies from the Bonny oil and gas terminal would be based on product demand.
Shell spokesperson Bamidele Odugbesan confirmed the oil deliveries to the refinery, stating that they were made during the week.
The announcement comes as Nigeria’s state oil firm, NNPC Ltd, recently tendered for operators for its Port Harcourt refinery in Rivers state. NNPC aims to complete test runs at the refinery by the end of January, marking a significant milestone in resuming operations after a five-year shutdown. Port Harcourt is among four state-owned refineries that the government is endeavoring to revive, aiming to reduce the country’s reliance on fuel imports.
The resumption of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery reflects ongoing efforts to revitalize Nigeria’s refining capacity and achieve greater self-sufficiency in fuel production.
