Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited says it has completed the supply of over 475,000 barrels of crude oil to the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), through its Bonny Oil & Gas Terminal (BOGT).

This, according to a statement signed by the Media Relations Manager, Abimbola Essien-Nelson, is in furtherance of the Federal Government’s commitment to increase domestic refining capacity, and make products more readily available in the country.

She said BOGT resumed this supply last week after a prolonged outage of over five years, during which time the refinery underwent rehabilitation and integrity activities on its supply pipeline from BOGT.

Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director, The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), Dr. Osagie Okunbor, said, “Teams from BOGT and PHRC worked through intensive preparations, collaboration, and dedication to make the project successful. This is indeed a significant step in the nation’s renewed efforts to utilise key infrastructures to assure the steady supply of products from the refining company to the Nigerian market.”

Okunbor said, “Future supplies from BOGT would be guided by the demand for the product.”

Bonny Terminal Installation Manager, Osita Nnajiofor, said, “Before implementing the supplies of the product to the refining company, the project teams first assured the integrity of pipelines relevant to NNPC Limited subsidiaries and integrity and maintenance activities on the BOGT refinery export pumps (which had been shut down for an extended period).”

He said, “These actions resulted in the successful and safe completion of the refinery supply with no harm to people, environment, or equipment.”

“The recommencement of crude oil supply from the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal to the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited is a significant achievement and a game-changer for the industry and the country and will support federal government’s aspiration of steady supply of petroleum products to the downstream market and other associated benefits to the economy of the nation,” he concluded.

Port Harcourt is one of four government-owned refineries that have been moribund for years, but which the government is trying to resuscitate to end the country’s reliance on fuel imports.