Zambia has closed its only 24,000 bpd Indeni refinery, after discovering that the crude oil supplying the plant was too acidic to process, Reuters reports.

According to the country’s Energy Minister, Dora Siliya, another crude supplier had been found and the refinery will come on stream in about a month.

Built on January 1, 1973, Indeni supplies half of Zambia's refined products. Located in Ndola, Copper belt province of Zambia, it supplies through a 1700Km crude oil pipeline from Dar-es-salaam in the Indian Ocean.

The refinery operates at about 50% capacity. Its Middle distillates constitutes approximately 60% of refinery output while typical produces are gasoline 19%, kerosene 16%, gasoil 44%, Fuel oil 13%, LPG 1% and losses 7%.

It is owned by the Zambian government with 50%interest alongside Total also with 50%.

Anita Fatunji