Azikiel Petroleum Refinery, Nigeria’s second biggest private-owned oil refinery with an installed capacity of 12,000 barrels per day (bpd) has exceeded 87 percent completion, the Azikiel Group has confirmed.
Located in Gbarain, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in Nigeria, promoters of the hydro skimming refinery anticipate mechanical completion in 2024 and commercial production operations by 2025.
The company also plans a phase two with a 25,000 barrels per day capacity. It would commence immediately upon the commercial operation of the phase one.
The refinery would produce two million litres of premium petroleum products of EURO V grade per annum when it comes full on stream. It intends to refine petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel among others, and it will seek to be able to determine the costs and quality of petrol in Nigeria.
The project is being handled by United States-based Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor, McDermott, which manufactured the Inside Battery Limits (ISBL) Process Modules of the refinery in the United States of America USA.
President of Azikel Refinery, Dr Eruani Azibapu (a Nigerian), revealed that 90 percent of the Process Modules of the ISBL of the facility had been shipped into the country, while the Outside Battery Limits (OSBL) and Balance of Plant (BOP) are already completed and installed.
“Today, Azikiel Refinery has progressed exceedingly. We are now at 87 percent completion in the overall.
“We are anticipating achieving mechanical completion by the end of this year. And of course, commercial production is going to be by next year when we will be receiving crude oil and then fire on.
“The Refinery is being manufactured by Mc Demott in the US. 90 percent of the Process Modules of the ISBL has been shipped,” Dr. Azibapu said.
Azikiel Group is a conglomerate of major subsidiaries involved in dredging, power generation, aviation, and a mini refinery in the US and the Niger Delta-based hydro-skimming refinery.
Dr. Azibapu explains that accessing foreign exchange had posed a major challenge in executing the project, noting that there were not many options other than achieving completion to commence production at the refinery. He hopes the company will create over 80,000 indirect employees and over 700 direct employees.
According to Deacon Robert Igali, media Ofiicer for the Azikiel Group, “the capacity of Nigeria to refine petroleum products for domestic consumption is set to rise by 12,000 barrels per day, bpd as Azikel Petroleum, an indigenous company has promised to complete its refinery in Bayelsa state and will start operations by the end of this year 2024.
Notice for engineers to be trained and employed will be out soon”
These are the kind of economic interventions that Africa needs. Enough of the days when Africa used to be a consumption economy, at least now we can produce and refine our own petroleum here In Africa as against back when we used to export our raw crude abroad to be refined before being brought back as finished products.
Kudos to Azikiel Petroleum.
Source: www.newscentral.africa ,
