Story by Iyiola Ayomide
Dangote Refinery has taken another step towards starting the production of refined petroleum products by acquiring an extra one million barrels of bonny light crude.
The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) supplied this additional crude to the refinery.
This shipment is the second out of the anticipated six million barrels of crude that the world's largest single-train refinery is expecting.
The crude was delivered to the Dangote facility from the Shell terminal through the MT Otis, which is owned by Trafigural.
Dangote Refinery recently obtained a shipment of one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from STASCO, a prominent trading company in Nigeria and worldwide, known for trading over 8 million barrels of crude oil daily.
Mr. Akin Omole, the Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, informed reporters at the Dangote Quay in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the Refinery anticipates receiving additional shipments of crude oil before the year concludes.
This influx of crude oil will facilitate the Refinery's ability to initiate operations successfully.
A total of 1 million barrels of crude oil will be provided to Dangote Petroleum Refinery from various suppliers, marking the progress of the refinery's second phase out of the anticipated 6 million barrels required for petroleum product manufacturing.
Dangote will be able to commence the refinery's initial operation and produce diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG once the complete delivery of the 6 million barrels is accomplished.
Following this, they will gradually move forward with the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The latest progress will have a significant impact in addressing the fuel supply difficulties encountered by Nigeria and other nations in West Africa.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is specifically designed to handle Nigerian crude oil, but it is also capable of processing various types of African crude oil, including Middle Eastern Arab Light and US Light tight oil, as well as crude from other nations.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has the capacity to fulfill Nigeria's entire demand for various refined products such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet fuel. Furthermore, it will have an excess supply of these products available for export.
The purpose of constructing the refinery was to transport crude oil using two single point moorings (SPMs) situated 25 kilometers away from the coast. It also enables the release of petroleum products through three distinct SPMs.
Furthermore, the refinery has the ability to fill 2,900 trucks per day at its truck-loading gantries. Dangote Refinery possesses a self-sustaining marine facility capable of accommodating the world's largest vessel. Furthermore, all refinery products will meet the requirements of Euro V specifications.
The refinery has been constructed to meet the emission regulations set by the US EPA, European authorities, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and also adheres to the emission/effluent guidelines of the African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA).
President of Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote expressed his satisfaction upon receiving the initial shipment, emphasizing its importance as a significant milestone for the country.
He believes this accomplishment showcases our capacity to execute and successfully complete substantial projects. In the upcoming months, our primary objective will be to maximize the refinery's output.
L Mr. Dangote eagerly anticipates the next noteworthy milestone, which will be the delivery of the first batch of products to the Nigerian market. Mr. Osagie Okunbor, who is also the Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, expressed his satisfaction with the establishment of a refinery aimed at manufacturing gasoline, diesel, and low-sulphur fuels, not only for Nigeria but also for the entire West Africa region. He further added that Shell is pleased to play a role in making this possible.
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