Excitement erupted around the refinery zone in Eleme, Rivers State, on Sunday, June 29, 2025, as flares lit up the sky over the Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC), signalling a possible test run of its second plant, PHR 2.
The sight of gas flaring — typically associated with the refining process — stirred optimism among petroleum marketers in the area, who said it indicated that the newly rehabilitated 150,000 barrels-per-day facility may soon commence operations.
According to BusinessDay Sources within the refinery also hinted that the older refinery, located alongside the new plant at Alesa Eleme near Port Harcourt, may also be undergoing fresh testing.
The Port Harcourt refineries have been under extensive rehabilitation since 2021, with over $1 billion invested in their overhaul. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had earlier assured that production would resume before the end of 2025.
Marketers expressed hope that the commencement of local refining would lead to greater product availability and potentially lower prices in the domestic market.
