INTERVIEW-Chad refinery to open in 2011 despite delays

By Moumine Ngarmbassa N'DJAMENA, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Chad's Chinese-backed oil refinery should still open in 2011 despite delays due to a rebel attack on the capital earlier this year, a senior company official said on Thursday. Work on the 60,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery had been due to start in early 2008 but plans were disrupted when eastern rebels besieged President Idriss Deby in his palace for two days before being forced back with help from former colonial power France. N'Djamena was badly damaged in the Feb. 1-3 fighting and many government buildings, including the Oil Ministry and its geological records office, were looted and damaged by fire. Ahmat Gadam Hogossi, deputy general manager of the N'Djamena Refinery Co., told Reuters work on the refinery was under way. "Work on the topographical surveys has already... [read full story]