The Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, located in Ologbo within Edo State’s Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, has been granted an operational license by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
This final approval from NMDPRA, which oversees midstream and downstream petroleum sector activities, allows the refinery to commence full operations.
During a ceremony on Tuesday, The PUNCH reports that NMDPRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Farouk, handed over the operational license to AIPCC, the parent company of Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.
Farouk, accompanied by Francis Ogaree, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Hydrocarbon Processing Plant Installation and Transport Infrastructure, presented the license to Segun Okeni, Head of Technical Operations at the refinery.
Farouk praised the company’s progress and encouraged them to continue their good work.
In response, Okeni highlighted NMDPRA’s supportive role, expressing confidence that AIPCC Energy and the Edo Refinery would continue to receive the necessary backing from the regulatory authority for all their initiatives.
Speaking on behalf of AIPCC Energy, Okeni reaffirmed the company’s dedication to making significant contributions to the petroleum refinery and gas processing sector.
He also revealed that AIPCC is working on three additional projects, one of which is expected to be completed within the coming year.
In a statement following the event, Okeni emphasized that the operational license marks the final regulatory approval needed for the refinery to begin full-scale operations.
He explained, “It starts from License to Establish, Licence to Construct, Approval to introduce Hydrocarbon, pre-commissioning and commissioning, operate the refinery for some time to ensure it can do so and finally the Licence to Operate LTO.”
Okeni further disclosed that the refinery is close to finalizing a significant crude oil supply agreement with a local oil company, which will be crucial for maintaining optimal production levels.
He stated, “We are finalizing a major crude supply agreement with an indigenous oil company. Although the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and NMDPRA have been supportive, once we find a source of crude, they will normally give us urgent approval.”
Additionally, Okeni noted, “However with this licensing, NUPRC ought to consider existing local refineries in the bidding round for marginal field.”
