The Chairman of the Delta State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Harry Okenini has given a tentative date for oil marketers to begin to lift Petrol and domestic cooking gas from the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company.
For now however, the marketers have begun to load Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and kerosene from the refinery.
Dealers confirmed this to Sunday PUNCH as they demanded Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) from the recently rehabilitated plant.
WRPC, under the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, came on stream on December 30, 2024, after the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, announced its resumption of operations during a tour of the facility.
Speaking with one of The PUNCH correspondents on Friday at the refinery, the Chairman of the Delta State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Harry Okenini, said though the plant was working, it was not at 100 per cent functionality.
He, however, pointed out that marketers had started lifting diesel and kerosene from the refinery.
“Right now, there is no production of petrol. So, we are not loading PMS. We hope to load PMS soon. We can confirm to you that the plant is working although not at 100 per cent. And IPMAN, Warri Depot Unit, is waiting for the production of PMS so that we can load.
“For now, only the Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, and Dual Purpose Kerosene are being produced and loaded out for consumption.
“Hopefully, by February, we are expecting cooking gas, PMS, and other products to come out. As of now, the retail unit is only loading AGO and DPK,” he added.
Also speaking with The PUNCH correspondents at the refinery, the National Chairman of the Surface Tank and Kerosene Peddlers, a branch of NUPENG, Israel Omokere, stated that the refinery was in operation.
He said, “Hopefully the PMS will come on board. We are loading kerosene and AGO for now.”
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