The Port Harcourt Refining Company is in business to provide efficient petroleum refining services primarily to the nation, at a minimum cost and the international market at competitive prices, while spearheading the development and production of specialized petroleum products.

PHRC Limited is made up of two refineries. The old refinery commissioned in 1965 with current nameplate capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and the new refinery commissioned in 1989 with an installed capacity of 150,000 bpsd This brings the combined crude processing capacity of the Port Harcourt Refinery to 210,000 bpsd. It has five (5) process areas - Areas 1-5. The new refinery is made up of Areas 1-4 while the old refinery is Area 5.
Area 1 is made up of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and the Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU).

Area 2 is made up of Naphtha Hydrotreatung unit (NHU), where naphtha is hydro-desulphurised; the Catalytic Reforming Unit (CRU), responsible for upgrading naphtha to reformate which has a higher octane value; the kero Hydrotreating Unit (KHU) where kero is treated to make it acceptable for aviation use: Area 2 also has the Continuous Catalyst Regeneration Unit, which constantly reactivates the deactivated catalyst from the reformer. Other units in Area 2 include, the Hydrogen Purification, Fuel Gas Vaporizer, Sour Water Treatment and Caustic Treatment units.

Area 3 is made up of a Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU), where Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO) and heavy diesel oil are cracked to obtain more valuable products, like PIVIS and LPG. Other units in Area 3 include the Gas Concentration, Gas Treating and Mercaptan Oxidation units.

Area 4 has three process units namely Dimersol, Butamer Isomerisation and Alkylation units. The units are designed to produce high octane gasoline blend component.

Area 5, which is the old refinery, is made up of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU); the Platform Unit (CRU), the LPG Unit, as well as utilities section.

The refinery is self sufficient in power and utilities generated from the Power Plant & Utilities. There are four (4) turbo-generators each with a capacity of 14MW of electricity per hour and four (4) Boilers, capable of generating 120 tons of steam per hour each. The section also generates cooling/service water, plant/instrument air and nitrogen.

The refinery has a pool of maintenance personnel that take care of routine, programmed and emergency repairs of equipment.

There is also the Materials Management Department that oversees the procurement and storage of needed spare parts and chemicals.

PHRC produces the following products:- Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Kerosene (aviation and domestic), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO - diesel), Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO).

PHRC produces UNLEADED gasoline that meets international standard.

The PHRC also has in-house firefighting capabilities.

QUALITY POLICY

PHRC is committed to always offer Petroleum Products and services that shall fulfil our customers' requirements and expectations using modern technology at prices that guarantee customers' value, stakeholders' continued interest and support.
To meet the objective of this quality policy, we shall:

- Implement and maintain programmes that ensure the highest safety for our employees, equipment and environment;
- Implement and maintain policies that empower and satisfy our workforce;
- Continuously train and retrain our workforce;
- Continuously improve our processes;
- Maintain high professional practices in our jobs;
- Implement, maintain and review a Quality Management System that is in accordance with the requirements of NIS ISO 9002: 1994.
The Provisions of this Quality Policy are mandatory on all employees.

OPERATIONS AND SERVICES DIRECTORATES, AND KEY DEPARTMENTS

There are two Directorates - the Operations and Services Directorates - with 15 main Departments in the establishment. These are the Production, Maintenance, Production Programming and Quality Control, Engineering and Technical Services. Power Plant and Utilities Department, Fire, Safety and Environment. Materials Management, Finance and Accounts, Planning and Budget Monitoring, Administration and Personnel, Public Affairs, Manpower Development, Audit, Security and the Total Quality Management Departments. The Managing Director who is the Chief Executive, co-ordinates the entire management and activities of the company.

Contact Address:

Alesa Eleme
P.O. Box 585
Port Harcourt
Tel: (084) 236420-39
Fax: (084) 236420
Public Affairs Dept: (084) 235585 Fax: (084) 236431