By Yemi Olakitan
The much anticipated production of refined crude oil has began at the Dangote refinery on Friday. Full Production at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company has now commenced, according to reports.
The company has received the fifth crude oil shipment of one million barrels of Bonny Light supplied by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited last week.
The 650,000 barrels-per-day oil processing facility started operations in May 2023.
It is designed to process crude oil grades from the three continents of Africa, Asia and America.
The Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr Akin Omole, had told newsmen at the Dangote Quay in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, that an ample supply of crude will enable the refinery to start operating smoothly.
“Once the six million barrels are fully delivered, it 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,” he added.
The refinery, first scheduled to open in 2021, was officially inaugurated by then-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
The Aliko Dangote-built oil refinery received its first supply of crude late last year, despite its scheduled June 2023 start date.
The refinery has an excess of petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation jets that it may export in addition to meeting all of Nigeria’s needs for refined goods.
The refinery’s two SPMs, which are situated 25 km offshore, are designed to handle crude oil, while its three more SPMs are designed to release petroleum products. Furthermore, the refinery’s truck-loading gantries can load 2,900 trucks per day.
The complex is located on 2,635 hectares (6,500 acres) of land in the Lekki Free Zone on the outskirts of Lagos.
It is anticipated that the Port Harcourt refinery will start producing at the same time as the Dangote refinery.
The Federal Government, in December, confirmed the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company in Rivers State.