WalterSmith Modular Refinery Begins Operation, Rolls Out 20 Trucks of Refined Products Daily

Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, the Ibigwe, Ohaji/Egbema council area, Imo state-based modular refinery, has begun full production.

The refinery, with a production capacity of 600 million litres of various petroleum products, is already refining and releasing 20 trucks of refined products daily. 

The disclosure was made when the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Oil, Heineken Lokpobiri, paid a scheduled visit to the facility. 

Heineken, who was full of praises for the management of the modular refinery for helping to meet the energy needs of the country, posited that modular refineries are the shortest way of addressing the country's energy problems.

According to him, state owned refineries are yet to come on stream as they are still under rehabilitation. 

"The refineries that are state-owned are still under rehabilitation. 

"As the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, it is my responsibility to ensure that there is sufficient supply of petroleum products pending the resumption of refining activities in the nation’s refineries. 

“I take charge of the programme to supervise the rehabilitation of our state-owned refineries. That is why I have gone round all the refineries in Port Harcourt, the refinery in Warri and the refinery in Kaduna. You know the shortest way to addressing our energy problem is the modular refineries. 

“That is why the executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Board, said there was the need for us to visit the WalterSmith and that is why I am here today to see things for myself. I am sure anybody that enters here will be very proud of what we are seeing here."

Lokpobiri pointed out that as the Minister in charge of the sector, he is determined to ensure that government provide the needed support for more modular refineries to come on stream, stressing however, that support will only be given to those who demonstrate enough capacity. 

“I am happy to be here to see what is going on and to encourage WalterSmith; Yes it is possible we can solve our energy problems in this country. 

"The government will continue to support owners of Modular refineries but I want to say that it is not enough for us to give money. We need to identify those who have proven record of success. 

“Some people will take the money and divert it, but here we are physically seeing one that is functional and we have also see the expansion of what is going on. We will do whatever we can to support WalterSmith .

Engr Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, who was with the minister, expressed delight over successful the production kick off, noting that the refinery is worth celebrating having overcome all challenges to get to the stage it is right now.

Apparently reechoing the minister's opinion, Wabote pointed out that it is not every such investment turns out successfully. 

"WalterSmith Modular Refinery produced over 600 million litres of various products from this refinery. About 20 trucks leave the refineries daily. 

“We have gone round and you can see that the refinery is working. We are very happy it is successful. Usually, it is not every investment that you participate in that comes out successful,” he said.