As part of the efforts to address frequent disruptions to the supply of crude oil to the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) as a result of the Niger Delta militancy, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is considering importing crude oil from Chad and Niger Republic, investigations by Thisday have revealed.
NNPC, it was learnt, is also considering the option of using railway transportation to move crude from the Niger Delta to the refinery complex.
A top official of the NNPC, who spoke to Thisday on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the corporation might refit the Kaduna refinery to be able to process Nigerien and Chadian crude grades, following the incessant attacks on the pipelines that feed the plant with Nigerian Bonny Light crude.
According to him, the refinery was originally designed to process Nigerian crude and foreign heavy crude at the ratio of about 70:30.
Spokesman of NNPC, Mr. Garuba Deen Muhammad did not respond when contacted by Thisday, but the Public Affairs Manager of KRPC, Mr. Idris Abdullahi confirmed that the options of importing crude from Chad and Niger, as well as using rail lines were actually being considered.
“We will choose from the two options but it depends on the financial viability. The refinery had rail lines right from inception. The rail lines were used to bring in materials and equipment during its construction.
“They have never been used to transport crude to the refineries. We get crude from Warri through the pipelines. But we are now thinking of using the lines to bring in crude from the Niger Delta because of the vandalism of the pipelines.
“The second option being considered is importation from Niger and Chad. We are considering the two options and the option we will choose will depend on the viability,” Abdullahi explained.
NNPC, it was learnt, is also considering the option of using railway transportation to move crude from the Niger Delta to the refinery complex.
A top official of the NNPC, who spoke to Thisday on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the corporation might refit the Kaduna refinery to be able to process Nigerien and Chadian crude grades, following the incessant attacks on the pipelines that feed the plant with Nigerian Bonny Light crude.
According to him, the refinery was originally designed to process Nigerian crude and foreign heavy crude at the ratio of about 70:30.
Spokesman of NNPC, Mr. Garuba Deen Muhammad did not respond when contacted by Thisday, but the Public Affairs Manager of KRPC, Mr. Idris Abdullahi confirmed that the options of importing crude from Chad and Niger, as well as using rail lines were actually being considered.
“We will choose from the two options but it depends on the financial viability. The refinery had rail lines right from inception. The rail lines were used to bring in materials and equipment during its construction.
“They have never been used to transport crude to the refineries. We get crude from Warri through the pipelines. But we are now thinking of using the lines to bring in crude from the Niger Delta because of the vandalism of the pipelines.
“The second option being considered is importation from Niger and Chad. We are considering the two options and the option we will choose will depend on the viability,” Abdullahi explained.