Edo’s 6,000 BPD Modular Refinery to Commence Operation Soon as DPR Inspects Facility

The Edo Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, a project partly owned by the Edo State Government and developed by AIPCC Energy Limited at Ologbo in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state, will commence operation before the end of this year.

The fabrication of 6,000 barrels-per-day (BPD) modular refinery has been completed and will be inspected by officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) before it will be shipped to Nigeria.

 

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the project is part of the state government efforts to transform the state from a civil service state to an investment and industrial enclave.

He said the modular refinery project joins the growing list of ongoing legacy projects, which also include the CCTEC Ossiomo Power Plant, the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park and the Benin River Port, in the state.

 

According to the governor’s aide, "We are making progress on a number of various projects aimed at transforming the state into an industrial hub. At the moment, work has reached advanced stage on the modular refinery project, which benefits from the governor's smart investment acumen, through which he mobilised seed fund for the project." 

Technical Director of the project, Mr. Tim Tian, said the refinery would get its feedstock (crude) from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company's (NPDC) facility-oil mining lease (OML) 111 near Benin-city.

He added that when operational, the refinery will produce from its feedstock 50 per cent of diesel (500,000 litres), 25 per cent of Naphta (300,000 litres) and 20 per cent of fuel oil (200,000 litres).

Tian recalled that the Edo State executive council had approved the release of N700 million as redeemable preference shares (investment) in the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.

He added that the venture "will create legitimate employment opportunities thereby reducing poverty, provide job opportunities for teeming youths in the communities in the state as well as facilitate the establishment of a fabrication yard as proposed by the promoters, and also create basis for expertise, professionalism as well as further training in the oil and gas industry.

"The take-off of the Edo Refinery and Petrochemicals Company followed a series of groundwork by the state Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration that led to the setting up of Edo Investment Scheme Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to hold N2 billion investment funds in which the Ministry of Finance Incorporation and the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) have shares of 20 per cent and 80 per cent respectively.

“It would also facilitate the state investment in various initiatives across the oil and gas sector-petroleum exploration, drilling and filling station, sales and supply of gas; agro-allied, petroleum and petrochemical products and other related businesses."