The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has issued a public notice calling for Expression of Interest (EOI) from qualified oil and gas firms to operate and maintain the Port Harcourt refinery.
According to the notice, this move aims to enhance reliability and sustainability in meeting Nigeria’s fuel supply and energy security needs.
NNPCL highlighted that the “operate and maintain” model is a crucial requirement mandated by the lender for the Port Harcourt refinery project.
The company seeks reputable and credible Operations & Maintenance (O&M) companies to ensure the refinery’s efficient operation.
In December, NNPCL announced the “mechanical completion” of the 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) section of the 210,000-capacity plant, which had been abandoned for several years.
The refinery is expected to commence product distribution by the end of this month.
In 2021, Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, disclosed the government’s consideration of becoming a minority shareholder in the troubled oil refineries.
This decision followed the Federal Executive Council’s approval of a $1.5 billion rehabilitation plan, largely funded by Afrexim Bank and NNPC’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), for the Port Harcourt refining complex with a daily capacity of 210,000 barrels.
The recent public notice from NNPCL stipulates that any company applying to operate and maintain the refinery must submit audited accounts from 2019 to 2022 and demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of $2 billion during the same period.
The Port Harcourt refinery’s rehabilitation project, costing about $1.5 billion, encompasses engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning phases.
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