The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)


has said that it is working with some International Oil Companies (IOC) to establish two New refineries with capacities for 200,000 barrels per day each.





Dr Levi Ajuonuma, NNPC Group General Manager (Group Public Affairs Division ) said they would be located in Okrika and Brass.





He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Monday in Abuja that the Corporation would inaugurate the New refineries by 2011 or 2012 as contained in the NNPC brief to the Ministers of Energy last week.





Ajuonuma said the additional refineries would bring the Total domestic refining capacity to 845,000 barrels per day.





He said the current demand of about 30 million litres of petrol Daily required 600,000 barrels refining capacity Daily .





\"Therefore, even if Warri and Kaduna refineries were to operate at 100 per cent capacity, there will still be need to import the shortfall to satisfy consumers,\" Ajuonuma said.





He said NNPC had four refineries in Kaduna , Warri and two in Port Harcourt, All of which were planned to be productive.





\"The refineries have a combined production capacity of 445,000 barrels of crude per day,\" he said.





\"The Corporation has 22 storage depots, 5,120km of pipeline and 24 pump stations.





\"The NNPC today imports fuel not because the refineries Are not working but because of the Feb. 18, 2006 violent damage done by vandals to the pipeline which transports crude Oil from Escravos to Warri and Kaduna refineries.





\"The 150,000 barrels per day Port Harcourt REFINERY is currently running at between 65 per cent and 70 per cent capacity which translates to about 3.5 million litres of petrol Daily ,\" he said.





The Head of Public Affairs said the Warri and Kaduna refineries were Producing at between 75 per cent and 80 per cent capacity before they were forced to shut down due to lack of crude.