The Port Harcourt Refining Company has halted operations just days after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd revealed that it had fulfilled its pledge of re-streaming the facility.

The shocking development was discovered by a reporter who visited the refinery on Friday where it was observed that the facility was inactive, with no discernible signs of operation.

It was also gathered that some workers at the refinery confided that the facility was undergoing a calibration process, which might persist till next week.

Additionally, a recent report cited an anonymous refinery official who disclosed that the loaded trucks on Tuesday actually contained “dead stock.”

The unnamed official shared: “Before the refinery was shut down between 2015/2016, we had dead stock left in the tank, including some Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) DPK (kerosene), and Automated Gas Oil (diesel).

“So, these products were in large quantities in stores in those tanks. During the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Old Area 5, those products were evacuated from the tanks for storage.”

Speaking further, the source said the large quantity of refined petrol was “off-spec,” and it required separation from water to obtain the main product in preferred colours.

“But for DPK, it is in large quantity but they have not pushed it from the tank where it was kept after refined ready for commercial purposes.

“So, the product that was loaded was dead stock, that is the old product that was in the system. So, after these dead stocks, they will have to clean the tank, remove all the debris before pumping the new project into that tank, and redye it.”

The Sun Nigeria