Arise Exclusives

Momoh Oyarekhua: Modular Refineries Are More Cost Effective For Nigeria

The Chairman of Crude Oil Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), Momoh Oyarekhua, has said that the emergence of modular refineries in Nigeria will be a better avenue for the production and distribution of petroleum in the country.

In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, Oyarekhua, while advocating for support from the Nigerian government as regards this venture, highlighted several areas in which the introduction of more modular refineries will help the country. He said that the establishment of modular refineries will help to cut costs at different areas for both the country and the citizens.

Speaking on the economic benefits, he said, “Modular refineries are meant to actually be at the well end. The importance of that is that as you produce crude from the well end, there is a process plant, and this process plant just takes the crude, processes it, and you can bring it to market. And modular refineries are not meant to be offshore, so they are meant to be on land fleet.

So, all of the marginal fleets you have on the land today and all of that, if you establish modular refineries close to them, depends on the capacity and all of that, you will refine those crude and bring them straight into the market.” He then said that the importance of this was that it ensured that the processing of crude oil will be quicker, making more products available in the market, and that local refineries will cut a lot of cost that could be pumped back into the country, which will in turn lead to cheaper petroleum products.

Oyarekhua suggested that crude oil should be sold to modular refineries in naira instead of FX, as this could make the foreign exchange rate appreciate further, saying, “We have advocated that crude needs to be sold to modular refineries in naira because when you process these products, you’re going to sell in naira, you’re selling into the Nigerian market, so our income is in naira. So, the fleet stock should also be in naira so that we don’t come and overcrowd the foreign exchange market.”

He also spoke about the recently commissioned Dangote Refinery, saying it was a different ball game entirely, as it is located in Lagos, and not close to any wells, and as such, there would have to be a lot of money spent on transportation of the crude oil, and the increase in transportation costs will create an increase in the cost of PMS. However, he reiterated, the modular refineries will be located at the site of the well, and as such, it will reduce the cost that will further be imposed upon Nigerians. “The closer it is to your market, the better it is,” he said.

Speaking on its security benefits, the Chairman said that with the use of modular refineries, crude oil did not need to be passed through the pipeline, as the crude will be immediately refined and sent into the market, which will drastically reduce oil theft in the country, and reduce the amount of money spent on security for the pipeline.

When he was asked how the modular refineries could produce petroleum products if the funds are made available to them, he spoke of his own refinery saying, “At 10,000 barrels, on a monthly basis, we’ll probably be able to produce about 14 million litres of PMS, and we’ll pull that into the country.”

He then advocated that funds, similar to gas funds, should be created by the government for modular refineries. He then said that his company had applied to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regarding such, saying, “There should be some kind of intervention fund. We have applied as a company to CBN to access the development funds, even to add a reformer within this in 2021. We did this in 2021. Till this moment, we have not even had a response from CBN.” He then said that if the government was in support of this venture, it will encourage others to build on this enterprise, therefore, impacting the Nigerian economy for the better.

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

Follow us on:

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

View Comments

  • E-AUCTIONE-AUCTION👇👇👇👇👇👇👇O7O 4540 6674 }CAR FEATURES AND PRICES BELOW
    GOLF , 2, 3,4 ,.350,000 to 500,000

    Toyota Camry Big==#550, 000Daddy==N750,000.

    Toyota Camry Tiny-Light==
    N500,000.

    Toyota Avenza ==N1.3. To N3. million

    Toyota Hilux==950,000 to N 2.5 million

    Toyota Avensis==N650,000.

    Toyota Camry Muscle==N 900,000. & Spider==N950,000.

    Avalon==N670,000.

    Rav4 SUV==800,000 to N1.million

    Toyota Sienna==N850,000.

    Toyota 4Runner==850,000 to N1.3million

    Tundra==950,000 to N3.8. Million

    picnic==N650,000.

    Toyota Highlander==850,000 to
    N3. 5m
    Corolla==N700,000.

    Prado==N1.m To 1.7 million

    Toyota LandCruisser==N850,000. to 2mill

    Toyota Yaris==N650.000.

    Toyota Matrix==N700,000.

    Toyota Haice Bus==N 950,000 to 1.2mill

    MDX ==N1.5
    TIPPER head 6m

    M
    ZDX==N1.7
    DYNA TRUCK 900,000
    Honda Pilot==N950,000

    Crosstour 850,000

    CR-V 500,000

    Benz ML350 900,000

    Accord 500,000

    EOD 550,000

    Rx300==N800,000. To N1.1 Million

    GX470===2M

    Benz ===900,000 to 3million

    Rx330==N950,000 To N1.8 Million

    Range Rover evogue 3.0m

    ES330 900,000

    Tacoma ===950,000 to 3mill

    Benz C-Class ===950,000 to 3m

    GLK ==1.5m to 3mill

    IS250==900,000 to 2milli

    Rx350==N900,000 To N2.3 Million

    TUNDRA ===950,000 to 2m

    Gx470 ===1,300,000. to 3m

    IS350 950,000 to 3mill

    ES350 ==950,000 to 2mill

    Rx470==N2.m AII070_4540_6674o

Recent Posts

Canadian Town Council Faces Deadlock As Newly Elected Mayor, Officials Refuse To Pledge Allegiance to King Charles III

Canada’s Dawson City’s newly elected council has stalled governance, rejecting oath to King Charles in…

3 mins ago

Suspected APC Thugs Attack PDP Secretariat In Edo, Destroy, Steal Properties Worth Millions

Edo PDP has accused the APC of orchestrating an attack on party secretariat, destroying and…

6 mins ago

Nigeria Partners With IOM On Revised Migration Policy, Reveals 6.1 Million Nigerians Displaced Amidst Insecurity

The FG has partnered with IOM, announced a strategy to review migration policy and address…

12 mins ago

Dangote Group Took Up The Challenge, Built A Refinery When Shell, Chevron, Other IOCs Couldn’t, Says Dangote VP Devakumar Edwin

Dangote Group’s Edwin Devakumar has said that by building the refinery, Dangote did what IOCs…

13 mins ago

House Deputy Speaker Kalu Says Governors Receptive To Proposed Constitution Amendments

Benjamin Kalu has revealed that Nigerian governors are supportive, committed to reviewing the 161 proposed…

39 mins ago

NNPC Plans High Integrity, Low Security Risk Pipeline Network to Combat Vandalism, Drive Sustainability

NNPC has announced plans for modern pipeline systems with fibre optics, geo-tagging, and private investment…

42 mins ago