The Port Harcourt Refining Company has clarified that its operations were not completely halted but scaled down to facilitate improvements at the facility.

The Executive Director, Operations, Nigerian Pipeline and Storage Company Limited, Moyi Maidunama, disclosed this on Sunday during a guided tour of the refinery led by the Managing Director, Ibrahim Onoja.

Speaking to journalists, Maidunama acknowledged a temporary hitch in operations but explained that the reduction was necessary to address technical issues and enhance capacity.

He said, “So, the operations were not halted. It was obviously reduced due to some improvements that we needed to make.

“We are managing the process with the number of trucks available today, using a few loading arms for evacuation. This should be resolved soon.”

He assured all that product distribution was ongoing, with several trucks loading refined products, and added that the process would continue uninterrupted.

The Terminal Manager, Port Harcourt Depot, Worlu Joel, confirmed that the facility had commenced the distribution of products, including Premium Motor Spirit, kerosene, and diesel.

He, however, expressed concerns over the low turnout of tanker drivers.

He said, “We have surplus products available and operational loading arms, but we’ve had to beg tanker drivers to come and evacuate products.

“We’ve loaded more than ten trucks already and expect to dispatch at least 15 before the day ends.”

Joel noted that the depot operates with 11 functional loading bays, but only three are currently in use due to their high efficiency. Each bay, he explained, can load three trucks in just 15 minutes.

“If you give us 100 trucks today, we can evacuate them in less than five hours,” he assured.

Highlighting the strides made at the refinery, Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja said the plant had undergone extensive upgrades to improve efficiency and reliability.

“The plant is running, and we are trucking out our products

“We’ve carried out a massive revamp, replacing most of the equipment, including pumps instrumentation, and cables. What we’ve done here is a significant upgrade of the facility,” Onoja stated

The PHRC team reiterated its commitment to maintaining consistent product distribution while ensuring that ongoing improvements enhance the refinery’s overall operations. (The PUNCH)