NNPC Refutes Claims Of Explosion At Port Harcourt Refinery

Scope 04 Apr 2025

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied claims of an explosion at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) in Rivers State, dismissing the reports as misleading.

In a statement released yesterday, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, clarified that the incident in question was a flare event, which had been promptly managed.

The company clarified that “what occurred was a flare incident, which has since been fully contained. There is no danger or health hazard to staff, the surrounding communities, or the environment.

“NNPC Ltd. urges the media and the public to disregard any reports suggesting an explosion at the refinery, as they are entirely false.”

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Fresh Explosion Reported at Oil Facility in Rivers State

Meanwhile, another explosion was reported yesterday at an oil facility in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State, occurring just hours after a previous fire outbreak.

An anonymous local source told Vanguard that the incident took place early Tuesday morning at a Manifold Connecting federal line in the Okwawriwa area of ONELGA.

According to the source, residents awoke to find a massive fire engulfing the facility, which is situated at a considerable distance from residential areas.

The affected facility plays a crucial role in transporting petroleum products, serving as a key transit point for oil from Seplat, Agip, and Shell through ONELGA and parts of Imo State before reaching Brass in Bayelsa State.

This latest explosion follows another fire incident that occurred less than 12 hours earlier, involving the Trans-Niger Pipeline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

The pipeline, which carries crude oil to the Bonny Terminal, was engulfed in flames, raising concerns about pipeline safety in the region.