The Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited, a subsidiary of Niger Delta Exploration and Production Plc, has expanded its maiden 1,000 barrels per day diesel topping refining plant, a modular refinery, with an additional 5,000bpd, the Department of Petroleum Resources announced on Sunday.
According to the DPR, the expansion provides for other products slate to include kerosene, marine diesel and heavy fuel oil to cater for the Nigerian market.
“The expanded plant located at Ogbele, Ahoada in Rivers State will potentially reduce importation of petroleum products with corresponding savings in foreign exchange and employment generation for our teaming youths,” the petroleum sector regulator explained in a statement issued in Abuja.
It commended the NDPR for the feat and added that major equipment and units of the second train of 5,000bpd had been fabricated, inspected, tested and modules were currently being shipped to Nigeria.
It said, “When installed, the upgraded refining complex will bring the total refining capacity to 11,000bpd.
“It 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 (or petrol), 168,540 litres/day.”
The DPR said it provided necessary regulatory guidance and technical support throughout the project development phases for NDPR to contribute about 4.2 per cent of national daily diesel demand and about 0.4 per cent for petrol in Nigeria.
“Having achieved these giant strides, the DPR is set to grant NDPR a ‘Licence to Operate’ the plant expected to be commissioned soon,” it stated.
The regulator added, “This laudable project is expected to catalyse further growth of the Nigerian refining industry by attracting more investments as more players gain confidence.”
In the same vain, the DPR directed all modular refinery Licence-to-Establish holders to demonstrate expected performance within the two years validity of the licence to enable them to obtain Approval to Construct and other milestone approvals.
