ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- On Monday, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery marked a significant step forward as it received its fourth shipment of one million barrels of bonny light crude oil, courtesy of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited.
The $20 billion refinery anticipates the arrival of a fifth crude oil shipment in the near future, as disclosed in a statement from the conglomerate.
Officials from the refinery conveyed that the facility, having already accepted three prior crude oil shipments, is gearing up to commence the production of refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and aviation fuel, known as JetA1, this month.
The company’s statement on Monday highlighted, “The fresh one million barrels of crude was the fourth consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility out of the six million barrels of crude being expected by the world’s largest single-train refinery.”
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Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Akin Omole, previously informed journalists that the refinery anticipated receiving about four million crude oil shipments before the close of 2023.
He detailed that the remaining two shipments would be delivered in early January 2024, positioning the refinery for full-scale production.
Once the complete six million barrels are in place, the refinery will initiate its initial run, focusing on the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas before progressing to Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol.
With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the Dangote refinery is poised to fulfill 100% of Nigeria’s refined petroleum product requirements, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel. Additionally, it aims to generate surplus quantities for export.
The refinery’s self-sufficient marine facility, equipped to handle the largest vessels globally, plays a crucial role in facilitating these crude oil shipments.
Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, expressed delight after the reception of the first consignment, stating, “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.
“We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects.”