Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has clarified that blending petroleum products at the Port Harcourt refinery is not unusual or illegal.
The refinery resumed crude oil processing on November 26 after being inactive for several years. It has also started loading petroleum products onto trucks and producing 1.4 million liters of petrol daily through the blending of straight-run petrol (naphtha).
However, some Nigerians have expressed skepticism about the facility’s activities, questioning why blending is ongoing instead of direct crude oil refining.
Addressing the issue during the commissioning of the NUPENG Towers in Lagos on Wednesday, Kyari assured that the Port Harcourt refinery is operational, with loading activities fully underway.
Regarding blending concerns, Kyari emphasized that blending is a standard process in refining operations globally, including in the United States. He explained that it is a crucial step in meeting fuel specifications.
He also extended an open invitation to skeptics, urging them to join him on tours of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries to assess their operational statuses firsthand.
He said, “If you don’t blend, you will bring out off-spec products which will destroy your vehicles.
“Every refinery blends because what is on the specification in the United States of America will be off-spec in Nigeria and elsewhere.
“Blending is necessary to bring products to the specification of different countries or regions.”
Mele Kyari congratulated NUPENG on completing the NUPENG Towers, urging the union to continue prioritising dialogue and cooperation in its relationship with the NNPC and the federal government.
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