The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) insisted that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery was up and running, with loading operations in full swing.
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mele Kyari, gave the confirmation at the inauguration of the NUPENG Towers in Lagos on Wednesday.
In a goodwill message at the event, Kyari extended invitation to human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, and all those in doubt, to join the NNPC Ltd on a tour of the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna to verify their statuses.
He also shed light on the controversy around products blending, stating that blending was not a crime as it was an integral part of the refining process.
A statement by Olufemi O. Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the company, quoted Kyari to have said: “If you don’t blend, you will bring out off-spec products which will destroy your vehicles. Every refinery blends because what is on specification in the United States of America will be off-spec in Nigeria and elsewhere. Blending is necessary to bring products to the specifications of different countries or regions.”
Kyari also congratulated NUPENG on the successful completion of the NUPENG Towers and urged the union to continue to prioritize dialogue and co-operation in its relationship with NNPC Ltd and the Federal Government.
He disclosed that the President’s interventions in the oil and gas industry by way of Executive Orders were yielding positive results, with more investments coming in and prospects of more jobs in the industry.