By Olaitan Ibrahim
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed reports of an explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), describing such claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Friday, NNPCL clarified that operations at WRPC’s Area 1 were deliberately scaled down on January 25, 2025, to facilitate essential intervention works on select equipment.
Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, issued the statement from NNPCL’s headquarters in Abuja.
The company said the maintenance, which included upgrades to field instruments, was aimed at sustaining steady operations and ensuring the production of high-quality petroleum products such as Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and kerosene.
It said despite the ongoing maintenance, the company assured that the refinery continued to supply AGO, maintaining an average daily loading of eight trucks over the past 11 days.
It further reassured stakeholders that there is sufficient stock to sustain truck load-out operations.
NNPCL reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring an uninterrupted supply of petroleum products and urged the public to disregard any unverified reports of an explosion.
The company also expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation of stakeholders as it concludes the maintenance activities, with Area 1 expected to resume full operations in the coming days.