Petrochemicals and Fertilizers

Nigeria has a robust petrochemical sector that has been evolving over the last fifteen years. The petrochemical industry is focused around the three centres located at Kaduna, Warri and Eleme. The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) operates the complex Kaduna refinery located in northern Nigeria. The refinery produces linear alkyl benzene, benzene, and kerosene solvents. KRPC is a subsidiary of NNPC. During the 1990’s there have been numerous stoppages at the Kaduna refinery and in October 1999 there was strong evidence that the Kaduna refinery was in substantial trouble. The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) has a complex 125,000 bpd refinery. The petrochemical plant produces polypropylene and carbon black. Stoppages and equipment failure have resulted in falling outputs. The Eleme Petrochemical Company is a subsidiary of NNPC. It has been developing the Eleme Petrochemical plant, a project which will boost the petrochemical industry substantially. Phase I of the Eleme Petrochemicals Complex came into operation in 1995, and, since then, has generated $130 milllion from the sale of products. It is associated with the two Port Harcourt refineries at Alesa-Eleme. In May 1999, a second petrochemical plant was inaugurated representing phase II of the petrochemicals project. The complex has an ethylene plant and subsidiary plants producing polyethylene, ethylene glycol, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride. In 1999, phase I of the Eleme petrochemical plant was producing at 60% capacity for polypropolylene and 50 percent for polyethylene. The two-billion-US-dollar petrochemicals project phase II is expected to produce over 40 different grades each of polyethylene and polypropylene products used in industial productions. Other projects include an integrated 680,000 million tonnes/year methyl tertbutyl ether (MBTE) and methanol complex. The owners will be NNPC (30%), Ferrostaal, Germany (40%) and a private Nigerian group (30%). 180,000 tonnes/yr will be used to make MBTE and the rest will be exported.

Organisations (3)

Eterna Industries Limited, Eterna Oil & Gas Plc, National Oil and Chemical Marketing Plc

Facilities (5)

Kaduna Petroleum Refining Company (KPRC), Kaduna Refinery, Port Harcourt Petroleum Refining Company (PHRC), Port Harcourt Refinery, Warri Refinery