The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) has resumed refining of petroleum products at 60 percent installed capacity, eight months after it stopped operation.

This was disclosed by the company’s Managing Director, Engineer Saidu Mohammed.

He said the commencement of production followed a successful completion of Turn Around Maintenance of the plants by local engineers which lasted for 18 months.

Channels Television’s correspondent, Chimezie Enyiocha, visited the refinery to get an update of the level of activities on the long abandoned oil production company.

He reports that the last time the plants operated was in January 2015, after which they were shut down.

Originally designed to refine 110,000 barrels of crude per day when produced at full installed capacity, the Kaduna refinery presently refines 36,000 barrels of crude per day and produces 3,083,100 litres of petrol, 1,233 litres of kerosene and 2,102.400 litres of diesel daily.

The management says the figures will increase by the time production hits 90 percent installed capacity by the first quarter of 2016.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) currently imports 50 per cent of the petroleum products into the country as part of the 40 million litres daily consumption by Nigerians.

The engineer in charge of production at the refinery, Shehu Malami, noted that when the refinery operates at 60 percent capacity, it will save the nation the following amount; $117,218 million daily on importation of LPG, $1.261 million daily on importation of PMS, $448, 364 daily on importation of kerosene, $759, 436 daily on diesel and $484,871 daily on importation of fuel oil.

This figure represents a total saving of $3.071 million daily for fuel imports only.

Despite the resumption of operations at Kaduna and other refineries, the long queues are yet to disappear in most parts of the north. This could be attributed to pipeline vandalism and the inability of the PPMC to resume lifting of refined products.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration since it came on board over two months ago is determined to end petrol importation by revamping the once moribund refineries.

It is hoped that the resumption of refinery activity will improve the supply of fuel in Africa’s largest oil producer and allow the country to make savings on refined fuel and other petroleum products. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Kaduna Refinery