Nigerian oil refineries are crucial infrastructure within the country's oil and gas industry. They play a vital role in refining crude oil into various valuable petroleum products that cater to the domestic consumption needs. Nigeria, being a major oil producer in Africa, possesses several oil refineries to process and convert the raw crude oil into usable fuels and other petroleum-based products.
Located in Alesa Eleme near Port Harcourt, the Port Harcourt Refinery is the oldest and largest oil refinery in Nigeria. It was commissioned in 1965 and has a refining capacity of 210,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The refinery complex consists of two sub-refineries - the old Port Harcourt Refinery and the new Port Harcourt Refinery. The facility utilizes a combination of distillation, catalytic cracking, and other refining processes to produce gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel.
Situated in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, the Kaduna Refinery was established in 1980 and has a refining capacity of 110,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The refinery employs various refining processes to convert crude oil into gasoline, diesel, kerosene, LPG, and heavy fuel oil. It is an essential contributor to meeting the energy needs of northern Nigeria.
The Warri Refinery is located in Ekpan, near Warri in Delta State. Commissioned in 1978, it has a refining capacity of 125,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Just like other refineries, it utilizes processes such as distillation, catalytic cracking, and hydro-treating to convert crude oil into various products. The refinery produces gasoline, diesel, kerosene, aviation turbine kerosene, and low-pour fuel oil.
Currently under construction, the Port Harcourt Dangote Refinery is a massive project by the Dangote Group. Situated in Lekki, near Port Harcourt, it is set to become Africa's largest oil refinery. With a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, it will be a crucial addition to Nigeria's refining infrastructure. The refinery's operations are expected to include advanced conversion processes, enabling the production of a diverse range of products, including gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and petrochemicals.
Located in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, the Lagos Refinery was commissioned in 1965. It has a refining capacity of 65,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The refinery employs various refining processes to produce gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel to cater to the energy needs of Lagos and the southwest region.
While these refineries contribute significantly to Nigeria's petroleum product supply, it's worth mentioning that they often face operational challenges and maintenance issues, resulting in reduced production and the need for importing refined products. However, ongoing efforts by the government and the private sector, such as the construction of the Port Harcourt Dangote Refinery, aim to enhance Nigeria's refining capacity and reduce the country's reliance on imported petroleum products.