Three Original Refineries Builders (ORBs) who built the existing 445,000 barrels a day (bd) combined capacity refineries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri, have agreed to revalidate the scoping studies the NNPC has developed for its planned revamp of the refineries, the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has disclosed.
He also said the ORBs would bring in new technologies into the process units of the refineries to enable them operate optimally like modern refineries. The revalidation, Baru noted, would include the cost for the revamp. Coming ahead of the October 2018 date the NNPC expects to sign funding and contractual agreements with third-party financiers and contractors for the revamp of the refineries, Baru explained NNPC now has the confidence of the Japan Gas Company (JGC) which built the Port Harcourt refinery; Saipem which built Warri; and Chiyoda which built Kaduna to partner it on the revamp programme.
Baru in an interview from the latest edition of the corporation’s in-house magazine – NNPC Magazine – said the NNPC has been able to overcome the initial reluctance of the ORBs to work with it in the programme. Baru also indicated that its board had in April at a London meeting with shortlisted firms for the programme, assured them of a sustainable plan to repay their investment in the programme. He added that NNPC was looking forward to shutting down the refineries soon for repairs once it signed the agreements and financiers provide funds for ORBs to start work.
