The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is to establish two condensate refineries with 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) refining capacity at Western Forcados Area and Assah North, Ohaji South (ANOH) Delta and Imo states.

NNPC Group Managing Director, Maikanti Baru, disclosed this the bid opening for consultancy services on feasibility study for the refineries, saying establishing the green refineries was part of strategies to eliminate importation of petroleum products and guarantee energy security in the country

Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement quoted Baru as saying that the condensate refineries, when fully operational, would increase gas supply to power plants in parts of the country.

Baru noted that the condensate refineries, which would operate the NLNG model, would increase the nation’s revenue base, provide jobs and save foreign exchange for the country.

He added that the strategic initiative would increase the energy security for the nation and grow the NNPC refining capacity from 445,000 barrels per day to 645,000 barrels per day.

He added that when the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) becomes fully operational, the National Petroleum Company (NPC) would be steady, as it will be administered by the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

Baru affirmed that the initiative was in line with Federal Government’s goal to grow the economy to seven per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2020 through the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

In his presentation titled: Unveiling NNPC Condensate Refinery Strategy, Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Bala Wunti, said the move would preserve NNPC’s market share in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the nation’s hydrocarbon value chain.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Navy has destroyed no fewer than 150 illegal refineries in the Niger Delta just as it cautioned its personnel against conspiring with criminals to perpetrate oil theft in the region.

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Its Eastern Naval Command said it achieved the feat through its Swamp Buggy Operations in its area of jurisdiction covering Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers states.

Immediate past Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the command, Rear Admiral, Mathew Emuekpere, disclosed this in Calabar yesterday, while handing over to his successor, Rear Admiral David Adeniran, saying the command achieved the feat within seven months of its anti-smuggling operations.

Following the closure of the refineries, he said the command seized contrabands and 13, 803 bags of imported rice valued at about N220 million.

Responding, Adeniran cautioned the officers that he would not tolerate any form of collusion or abetting illegality, stressing that the officers require a high level of discipline, while discharging their duties.

Culled from: The Guardian