September 03, (THEWILL) – The 650,000bpd Dangote Oil Refinery has started processing petrol after suffering delays due to its inability to purchase crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and other local producers, Devakumar Edwin, the refinery’s Vice President said Monday.
“We are testing the product (gasoline) and subsequently, it will start flowing into the product tanks. If no one is buying it, we will export it as we have been exporting our aviation jet fuel and diesel”, Edwin said.
Petrol from the plant is expected to hit the market later this month if all goes well with the processing.
The delivery of petrol to the Nigerian market will ease the NNPC’s struggle to supply the local market. Amid lingering fuel crisis in the country, the national oil company on Sunday, lamented its indebtedness to oil suppliers. The company is reeling with debts of $6bn to oil traders for supply since January. This has affected its ability to supply the local market where fuel queues have persisted since July.
However, Edwin hinted that NNPC, Nigeria’s sole importer of petrol, would buy its petrol exclusively.
The $20 billion refinery began operations in January with output of products including naphtha and jet fuel. The refinery promises to ease Nigeria’s costly reliance on imported oil products.
