African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA), has stated that for African countries to meet the planned Sulphur level in petroleum product content, about $15.7 billion would be needed to upgrade the existing 36 refineries on the continent.
Africa Today News, News Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, last signed a deal for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s largest refinery, Port Harcourt Refinery, for $1.5 billion. The rehabilitation is being financed by the African Development Bank.
The African Union and the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) had planned an initiative called AFRI-6, which aimed at reducing Sulphur content in fuels to 10 parts per million (ppm) in the coming years.
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Speaking yesterday at a workshop organised by ARDA on ‘Upgrading African Refineries to Produce Cleaner Fuels’, its Executive Secretary, Mr. Anibor Kragha disclosed that North Africa with 17 refineries would require capital expenditure of $5.955 billion for refineries upgrade, West and Central Africa with 12 refineries would need $6.285 billion while East and Southern Africa with seven refineries would need $3.415 billion.
According to him, without urgent steps on adopting uniform fuel specifications across the continent, health and environmental challenges could worsen existing problems on the continent even as the continent’s population projection is expected to grow exponentially.
He stated that cleaner, harmonised, Pan-African fuel specifications are required, explaining that there has been uneven progress in tightening fuel specifications across the continent.
Kragha added that the AU and ARDA were collaborating on the adoption of AFRI Fuels Roadmap, listing new process units required to improve key fuel specifications to include; Naptha Hydrotreater, NHdT, Diesel Hydro-desulphurisation, DHDS, Benzene Extraction, and Sulphur & Hydrogen Plants.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK