The NNPC Limited on Friday disclosed that the recently re-streamed Warri Refinery has been shut down for routine maintenance and would be back soon.

The company, in a statement by its Chief Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, clarified that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), describing any report suggesting otherwise as “completely false.”.

Soneye in the statement stated, “On January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to carry out necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were impacting sustainable and steady operations.

“These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of on-specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero).

“The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and Area 1 will be back in operation within the next few days. Despite ongoing interventions, over the past 11 days, AGO loading has been maintained at an average of eight trucks per day, with a sufficient supply available to sustain ongoing truck load-out operations.

“NNPC Ltd remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted product supply and appreciates the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders as it completes these essential maintenance activities”.

The 125,000 barrels per day refinery was re-steamed just before the new year after over 10 years in comatose with NNPC saying it was operating at 60 percent capacity.

The Federal Executive Council had in August 2021 approved the contract for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries at the sum of $1.48 billion. (Saturday Vanguard)