The Dangote Petroleum Refinery reached a significant milestone on Monday with the arrival of its fourth shipment of one million barrels of bonny light crude oil, supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited.
The $20 billion refinery is gearing up for its fifth crude oil shipment, highlighting its progress towards operational readiness. With three previous shipments already received, the refinery is poised to commence production of refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and aviation fuel (JetA1) this month.
According to a statement released on Monday, the latest one million barrels of crude marks the fourth consignment out of the anticipated six million barrels to be delivered to the Dangote facility, the world’s largest single-train refinery.
Akin Omole, the Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, emphasized the refinery’s readiness, stating that it is expected to receive a total of four million crude oil shipments by the end of 2023, with the remaining two slated for early 2024 to expedite the refinery’s production capacity.
Once the complete consignment of six million barrels is secured, the refinery will initiate its production line, generating diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas, before moving on to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).
The Dangote refinery, boasting a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is set to fulfill 100% of Nigeria’s refined petroleum product needs, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel, along with surplus products earmarked for export.
Notably, the refinery houses a self-sufficient marine facility capable of accommodating the largest vessels globally, facilitating the seamless reception of crude oil shipments.
The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, expressed delight at the milestone, underlining its significance for the country’s capacity to undertake and accomplish large-scale capital projects.
Looking ahead, Dangote emphasized the focus on scaling up the refinery to its full capacity and eagerly anticipated the pivotal moment when the first batch of products will be delivered to the Nigerian market.
