The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited delivered the fifth crude oil shipment of one million barrels of Bonny Light to Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Thursday.
The firm is currently planning to welcome the sixth million barrels of crude oil to the refinery by next week. This recent discovery is an important step forward for the refinery as it prepares to commence operations.
”The crude oil cargo, the fifth consignment to be delivered to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery facility out of the six million barrels of crude expected, arrived at the Single Point Mooring (SPM)-C2 Dangote Offshore Oil Terminal on Thursday, and has already been discharged to the refinery’s crude oil tanks.’’, Dangote said in a statement on Friday.
It should be noted that the Dangote Refinery previously received four million barrels of petroleum.
The Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr. Akin Omole, had then told newsmen at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, that the Refinery will receive around four million crude oil shipments before the end of 2023, with the remaining two arriving in early January 2024. He stated that the crude supply will help the Refinery get up and running.
”Once the 6 million barrels are delivered in full, it will facilitate the refinery’s inaugural run as well as kick-start the manufacture of diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG before progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit,” he added.
This most recent advancement will be critical in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria as well as the West African countries.
The 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery, designed for 100% Nigerian crude with the ability to process other crudes, can process most African crude grades, as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil, as well as crude from other countries.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery can supply 100% of Nigeria’s refined product requirements, including petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation jet, and has a surplus of each of these products for export.
The refinery was designed to accept crude through two distinct SPMs positioned 25 km from the beach and discharge petroleum products through three separate SPMs. Furthermore, the refinery’s truck-loading gantries can load 2,900 trucks each day.
Dangote Refinery operates a self-sufficient marine facility with the ability to handle the largest vessel globally available. In addition, all products from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications.
The refinery is designed to meet US EPA, European emission regulations, Department of Petroleum Resources emission/effluent requirements, and African Refiners and Distribution Association standards.
The President of Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote, commented upon receiving the first consignment, “We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone.”
This is a significant accomplishment for our country since it displays our ability to create and implement huge capital projects. Our priority in the coming months will be to bring the refinery up to full capacity.
“I am looking forward to the next significant milestone, which will be the delivery of the first batch of products to the Nigerian market.”
