The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says ongoing activities at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) are part of a planned routine maintenance program aimed at ensuring optimal operations.
Olufemi Soneye, NNPC Ltd’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, was reacting to claims of an explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), describing the reports as false.
In a statement, Soneye explained that operations in WRPC’s Area 1 were temporarily scaled back to facilitate necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were affecting the refinery’s ability to maintain steady and sustainable operations.
These maintenance activities, which began on January 25, 2025, according to Soneye, are critical to ensuring the production of on-specification finished and intermediate products, such as Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero).
Soneye emphasized that the routine maintenance is progressing as scheduled, with Area 1 expected to resume full operations within the next few days.
Despite the temporary reduction in activity, he said the refinery has maintained an average of eight trucks per day for AGO loading over the past 11 days, ensuring a steady supply of products to meet demand.
Soneye reiterated NNPC Ltd’s commitment to uninterrupted product supply and thanked stakeholders for their patience and cooperation during the maintenance period.
“NNPC Ltd. remains dedicated to ensuring the reliability of our operations and the consistent availability of petroleum products. We appreciate the understanding of all stakeholders as we complete these essential maintenance activities,” the statement concluded.
The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company ( WRPC) began operations about a month ago. The Warri Refinery returned to operation weeks after NNPC Limited restarted the 60,000 barrels per day at the Port Harcourt refinery in November.
It’s focused on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene (SRK), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and heavy and light Naphtha.
RN
