The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has resumed trucking out of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, after a one-week halt in operations.
The refinery had abruptly stopped loading petrol a fortnight ago without providing any explanation, leaving many marketers stranded.
According to sources, the Port Harcourt Refinery Depot was inactive last Thursday, with an empty loading bay and no signs of activity throughout the preceding week.
However, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had stated that preparations for loading operations were ongoing.
Contrary to earlier reports, it was gathered that the lifting of petrol commenced on Saturday, with 11 trucks loading PMS from the depot.
A visit to the facility on Monday revealed that, although activities had not fully commenced, trucks were seen driving into the 18-arm loading bay from 1:14 pm onwards.
The Guardian observed that the first set of trucks arrived at the Onyema gate, the entrance point for trucks, at around 12:21 pm. The trucks, which were assumed to have been cleared from a designated area, were allowed to proceed to the loading bay.
By 12:26 pm, a total of seven trucks had been cleared and were ready to proceed to the loading bay to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The trucks eventually made their way to the loading bay at around 1:30 pm.
However, despite the resumption of loading operations, activities at the depot remained slow.
By 2 pm, only two trucks had loaded, while six others were still queuing to load. Two trucks had already loaded and left the loading bay, while three others were in the process of loading.
A fire service truck was stationed at the loading bay in case of any fire outbreak. The first truck started lifting petrol at exactly 1:18 pm, and by 4:30 pm, a total of ten trucks had lifted petrol.
Marketers at the depot expressed dissatisfaction with the frequent shutting down of loading operations without explanation.
They also lamented that only three out of the 18 arms in the loading bay were functional, while the others had yet to be calibrated.
One marketer, who identified himself as Liti, stated, “We are not happy over what is happening here. If operations were going on fully here, you would see this place full of trucks, and they can load up to 50 trucks before 6 pm. So, let the government come and help us and make sure the refinery is working well.”
It was also gathered that not all the arms in the loading bay were designated for petrol loading.
Some were meant for loading Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automated Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel. However, the refinery has yet to commence production of kerosene and diesel.
The resumption of petrol loading operations at the Port Harcourt Refining Company is expected to alleviate the fuel scarcity in the region.
However, the frequent shutdowns and technical issues at the refinery have raised concerns about the facility’s reliability and efficiency.
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