Rivers secures waivers for 15 modular refineries

Port Harcourt -- The Rivers State Government says it has secured waivers for the establishment of 15 modular refineries in the state.

Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Dr. Peter Medee, who announced this, said the bureaucratic process for the establishment of modular refineries have been handled by the waivers.

Medee explained that the Rivers State Government was not building the modular refineries, but, has secured the waivers for investors to get all the necessary documentation in a very short time.

The Commissioner said the securing of the waivers was necessitated by the need to set modular refineries as an alternative to artisanal refining which causes soot and environmental degradation.

He expressed optimism that when the 15 modular refineries come on stream, there will be availability of petroleum products in the state and for export.

He said: "In November 2020, we attended the National Council on Hydrocarbon where we submitted two memos to the council, one of which was on the issue of black soot in the state.

"We made a case that Rivers State was suffering from high level of environmental degradation, especially black soot caused by artisanal refining, and to avert it was to make provision for (an) alternative, which is the establishment of modular refineries. So, we asked for waivers for modular refineries, and it was granted.

"Secondly, if we allow individuals to seek approvals for the establishment of modular refineries, it will take longer time, so what we did was to seek for these approvals so as to speed up the process,”.