Oil marketers have begun loading Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene from the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), as they anticipate the resumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) production by February 2025.
Since the Warri refinery’s relaunch on December 30, 2024, under the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the facility has been slowly ramping up operations.
NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, officially confirmed the resumption during a tour of the complex, which marked a hopeful return to production after a prolonged shutdown.
However, industry insiders caution that the refinery is not yet operating at full capacity. Harry Okenini, Chairman of the Delta State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), confirmed to newsmen that while diesel and kerosene are being produced and loaded from the refinery, there is currently no production of PMS.
“Right now, there is no production of petrol. So, we are not loading PMS. We hope to load PMS soon. We can confirm that the plant is working, though not at 100 per cent functionality. For now, only AGO and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) are being produced,” Okenini explained.
Marketers and refinery workers are optimistic that by February 2025, the plant will be fully operational and capable of producing a variety of refined products, including cooking gas and PMS. “IPMAN, Warri Depot Unit, is waiting for the production of PMS so that we can start loading,” Okenini added.
Alongside Okenini, Israel Omokere, National Chairman of the Surface Tank and Kerosene Peddlers, a branch of NUPENG, reiterated that the refinery was functioning, with production currently focused on AGO and kerosene. “Hopefully, the PMS will come on board soon. We are loading kerosene and AGO for now,” Omokere said.
Despite the positive reports, a Sunday PUNCH investigation at the refinery revealed that operations remain limited. The movement of trucks in and out of the complex is minimal compared to the refinery’s peak years when it operated at full capacity.
Sources within the refinery indicate that only one of the refinery’s three units is currently operational. This unit is responsible for the production of AGO, gas, and kerosene, but it is not capable of producing PMS at this time.
The remaining two units are not yet functional, with the second unit expected to contribute to PMS production once it comes online. “If the second unit starts working, it can produce PMS. The third unit is the most complicated and will be the last to come online,” an industry source revealed.
While the refinery is now producing a modest quantity of AGO and kerosene, it is still a far cry from the peak levels it achieved before its long shutdown. If all three units were operating, sources say the refinery would be able to load up to 100 trucks daily. As it stands, the output has been limited to about 50 trucks per day, primarily focused on AGO.
A visit to the WRPC complex also revealed that the refinery’s main entrance seemed almost dormant, with minimal activities visible from outside. Security personnel restricted journalists from taking photographs, further adding to the aura of secrecy surrounding the facility’s operations.
There are indications that the Federal Government, in collaboration with NNPCL, still has several logistical and technical adjustments to make before the refinery can resume full-scale production of PMS and other refined products.
Sources suggest that the government must ensure the functionality of all units and address several operational challenges before achieving the desired output.
As of now, marketers and industry stakeholders remain hopeful that the WRPC will be able to meet growing demand for petroleum products in the coming months, but they acknowledge that much work remains to be done before the refinery can return to full production.
