Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company (KRPC), will save about $5.33 million daily for the country when the refinery hits 90 per cent production capacity, the refinery’s manager in charge of production programming and quality control, Shehu Malami,
Speaking at a two-day annual Energy Correspondents Workshop, themed “Development Communication: An Imperative for the Oil And Gas Industry” in Kano, Mr. Malami said KRPC, otherwise known as Kaduna Refinery, would soon hit 90 per cent production of its installed capacity.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the refinery operated at 60 per cent production capacity before commencement of the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) in October last year.
Giving the breakdown on different petroleum products, the manager said the nation will save $1.892million daily on petrol alone.
“The impact of KRPC operations on the economy means that if the refinery operates at 90 percent capacity, it will save the nation $1.892million from importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“At same 90 percent, KRPC will save $672,546 daily on importation of Kerosene, $1.86 million daily on import of diesel, $176,727 daily on importation of LPG and $727,306 million daily on import of Fuel Oil.
“This represents a total savings of $5.33 million daily for fuel products only,” he said in a paper he delivered.
Mr. Malami said the refinery is expected to produce 4,624,650 liters of PMS (petrol) when it attains 90 per cent capacity in the first quota of 2016 as against its current 60 per cent status of 3,083,100 liters.
According to him, the volume of Kerosene production will rise to 1,849,500 liters at 90 per cent capacity as against the current 1,233,000 liters production at 60 per cent capacity.
The manager said diesel production will hit 3,153,600 liters at 90 per cent, as against 2,102,400 liters at current 60 per cent capacity, while the LPG will attain 486,000 liters at 90 per cent from its current 324,000 liters at 60 per cent capacity.
In his address, Mohammed Garba, chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of Kaduna chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said all stakeholders, such as regulators, players and the watchers of the sector, most especially the media, must harmonize their operations to work toward effective development of the oil sector.
“The petroleum sector is the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy. Hence, there is a lot of responsibility placed on all those concerned with the oil and gas sector in the country,” Mr. Garba said.
“However, happenings in the past two decades point to a totally different scenario. The industry and its critical watchers, the media being at the forefront seem to be at logger-heads.
“Time is now ripe for the media and operators of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria to set a development communication agenda, which must be mutually worked on by everybody involved in this pact.
“This will be aimed at changing the negativity in the news reports and changing the negative perception of the public against the oil and gas sector.
“Development communication is a concept that has recently gained the attention of communications and development experts because of its germane importance.”
