By Teddy Nwanunobi
The Federal Government has denied a report that it revoked 32 refinery licences that were issued to some private companies across the nation.
A report had listed some companies as some of the facilities that were affected by the development.
The companies include: BUA Refinery & Petrochemicals (Akwa Ibom); Southfield Petrochemical & Refinery Ltd (Edo); Starex Petroleum Refinery (Onne Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone); RG Shinjin Petrochemicals (Delta); Don Mac (Edo), and Platinum Hydrocarbon Resources (Delta).
Others are: All Grace Energy (Rivers); Green Energy International (Rivers); Fresh Energy Limited (Bayelsa); Chyzob Oil & Gas (Abia); Aiteo Energy Resources Limited (Delta); Associated Worldwide Company (Akwa Ibom); and Amakpe International Refinery (Akwa Ibom).
In its reaction, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), in a statement in Abuja, on Tuesday, refuted the report that the regulatory agency for the oil and gas industry had revoked the licences that were issued for the establishment of 32 refinery projects in the country.
The DPR, in the statement signed by the Head, Public Affairs of the organisation, Mr Paul Osu, stated that it has not revoked any petrol refinery licences.
It noted that refinery licences, like other regulatory instruments, have milestones attached to them.
The DPR added that it was only natural that after a given milestone is achieved, the licence owner approaches the industry regulator for a new instrument for the next phase.
“Our attention has been drawn to a report in some publications stating that DPR has revoked 32 refinery licences issued to private companies in Nigeria.
“We wish to clarify that DPR did not revoke any refinery licence. Refinery licences like our other regulatory instruments have validity periods for investors to attain certain milestones.
“This implies that after the validity period for the particular milestone, the licence becomes inactive until the company reapplies for revalidation to migrate to another milestone,” the statement read.
According to the DPR, this does not, in any way, translate to the revocation of the licence of the company.
It affirmed that the DPR in line with the aspirations of the Federal Government initiated the refinery revolution programme aimed at boosting the country’s local refining capacity.
DPR noted that this aspiration was being meticulously carried out by enabling business and creating new opportunities for investors with the granting of modular and conventional refinery licences.
The oil and gas industry regulator stated that it will continue to provide support to investors in the sector in Nigeria using its regulatory instruments, including licences, permits and approvals to stimulate the economy and align with government’s job creation initiatives.