Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

The Port Harcourt Refining Company is set to commence the production of Aviation Turbine Kerosene, popularly known as aviation fuel or JetA1, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has said.

According to the corporation, the Managing Director, PHRC, Dr. Bafred Enjugu, disclosed this in a presentation made to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, during an official tour of the 210,000 barrels per day facility.

Enjugu said the refinery had met all the international parameters for the production of aviation fuel.

He was quoted in a statement from the NNPC on Friday to have said that “the good news from our stand point is that we have scored 24 out of the 24 parameters for the production of aviation fuel and I must say that this is made possible because of the never-give-up attitude of workers of the great PHRC.”

Enjugu said the refinery had successfully blended ATK and was only waiting for appropriate conditions to commence full scale production of the product in response to demand of the aviation sector.

Baru, according to the statement, described PHRC as the nation’s flagship refining company, noting that the corporation would do everything possible to ensure that the refinery was not just in operation but also operating profitably and contributing effectively to meeting local demand for petroleum products.

He said, “We cannot under-estimate the importance of refining because that is our identity and we shall do whatever it takes to ensure that your two plants are running at all times and work to tackle whatever could militate against your achieving set targets and objectives.”

In a similar development, the GMD also promised to complete all ongoing gas infrastructure projects as part of measures to boost the nation’s economy.

Baru made this commitment during a one-day working visit to three of the NNPC’s Strategic Business Units, the Nigerian Gas Processing Transportation Company, Nigerian Gas Marketing Company, and the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company in Warri, Delta State.

He said the NGPTC and NGMC were particularly important in the aggressive drive to provide gas for power generation and industries to propel the nation’s economic growth.

Enjugu said the refinery had successfully blended ATK and was only waiting for appropriate conditions to commence full scale production of the product in response to demand of the aviation sector.