The Dangote refinery, a key project for Nigeria’s energy independence, is set to receive four additional crude oil cargoes within the next two weeks, BusinessDay’s findings have revealed.
According to Dangote Group, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) will supply the next four cargoes, with the final cargo expected from ExxonMobil.
This influx of crude oil will enable the refinery to commence initial operations and produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG.
Sources confirmed to BusinessDay that a cargo from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO) containing one million barrels sailed from Agbami to Dangote Refinery’s Single Point Mooring (SPM) where it was discharged into the refinery’s crude oil tanks.
The maiden 1 million barrels, representing the first phase of the 6 million barrels of crude oil to be supplied to Dangote Petroleum Refinery by a range of suppliers, should sustain the initial 350,000 barrels per day to be processed by the facility. The NNPC will supply the next four cargoes in two to three weeks, and ExxonMobil will supply the final six cargoes.
Read also Dangote refinery receives one million maiden crude cargo
This supply will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
This latest development will play a pivotal role in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria and the West African countries.
Designed for 100 percent Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil and crude from other countries.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and also have a surplus of each product for export.
The refinery was built to take crude through its two SPMs located 25 kilometres from the shore and to discharge petroleum products through three separate SPMs. In addition, the refinery can load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries.
Dangote Refinery has a self-sufficient marine facility that can handle the largest vessel globally available. In addition, all products from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications.
The refinery is designed to comply with US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms as well as African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA) standards.
“We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country, demonstrating our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. Our focus over the coming months is to ramp up the refinery to its full capacity. I look forward to the next significant milestone when we deliver the first batch of products to the Nigerian market,” Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, said.
Osagie Okunbor, the country chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria stated: “We welcome the startup of a refinery that is designed to produce gasoline, diesel, and low-sulphur fuels for Nigeria and across West Africa and are happy to be enabling it.”
