The Federal Government, yesterday, in Ogbekor community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area in Edo State, unveiled the Duport Midstream Company Ltd., Energy Park, a modular refinery.
It is a 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery expected to begin 2,500 bpd production by July 28.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the facility tour of the refinery, Simbi Wabote, executive secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), said the refinery was the second to be switched on in July.
“Currently, one of our refineries is working, which is Watersmith modular refinery producing 5,000bpd and serving the eastern market.
“In terms of our modular refinery operation, by July, this one will go live to tell you there are modular refineries working in the country.
“We thank our partners, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as well as Seplat for providing us with the desired crude. Here, we are working very hard with Summit Oil and other partners that want to partner us to supply crude.
“The plan is that on July 18, Department of Petroleum Resources will come and do the final check in terms of giving us approval to introduce hydrocarbon into the refinery.
“So, between now and the end of July, this refinery in addition to the one we have in Ibigwe will become operational,” he said.
He also noted that the energy park was with a data centre that was currently operational.
He also noted that between the last time the project was inspected in March and now, there was remarkable improvement in terms of installation of the Gas Processing Facility (GPF) and completion of the refinery installation.
Also speaking, Mobolaji Kuku, chairman, Duport Midstream board, said the facility was a first of its kind.
“What we have here is a vision that is almost a reality. We have a refinery, a data centre among others. We have different components on one site and it has never been done before.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), yesterday, said it has developed key initiatives aimed at reducing, to the barest minimum, activities of crude oil theft and illegal artisanal refining.
Gbenga Komolafe, chief executive officer, NUPRC, made this known at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Public Private – Dialogue on Crude Oil Theft and Artisanal Modular Refineries in Lagos.
Komolafe said an unprecedented level of theft estimated at a daily average of 103,000 barrels which was recorded in 2021 had grown to 120,000 barrels in the first quarter of 2022.
He added that daily average production in 2021 stood at 1.5 million barrels while the national production advised by the commission was 2.2 million barrels.
“Consequently, only 58 per cent of the technical rate was achieved in 2021 and similar performance has continued in 2022, hence the need for more concerted efforts across all quarters to stem the tide.
“Unfortunately, the amount of oil received at the terminals indicates that over nine million barrels of oil is lost to crude theft amounting to a loss of one billion dollars in first quarter of 2022,” he said.