The Kaduna refinery has resumed production following its closure three months ago, the Managing Director, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited, Mr. Seidu Muhammed, has said.
Three of the nation’s four refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt had resumed production of refined petroleum products in July after undergoing rehabilitation, but they were shut down in August, September and October, respectively.
Muhammed said in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, “We are producing now. We resumed last week around Tuesday or Wednesday. Since then, we have continued progressively, bringing in one unit after the other.”
He stated that the refinery was recently shut down as a result of lack of supply caused by the repair of the pipeline pumping crude to the plant.
According to him, before the repair work commenced on the line between Escravos and Warri, there was crude oil supply from Warri for the refinery.
Muhammed explained, “But because of the lack of the line between Warri and Kaduna, that (supply of crude oil) could not have been done. And that is why we shut down the refinery in September. That pipeline has been repaired and as we speak right now, crude is flowing to Kaduna from Warri.
“We expect the PPMC to start loading and trucking PMS (Premium Motor Spirit or petrol) from tomorrow (Tuesday). Loading and trucking of PMS is not our responsibility.”
The Kaduna refinery, which was inaugurated in 1980, has a capacity of 110,000 barrels per day.
The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, had in a telephone interview two weeks ago, said, “Two of the refineries are ready to go; what they just need now is crude and that is why we try to get the pipelines working.
