The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has received its first-ever shipment of crude oil from Ghana’s Sankofa-Gye Nyame Field, with 950,000 barrels of locally produced light sweet crude supplied by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
The shipment, transported through Sonangol Cazenga, marks a significant development in efforts to link Ghana’s crude oil production directly to domestic refining and retain more value from the country’s petroleum resources within the local economy.
The crude, produced from the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) area in the Western Region, is expected to be processed at TOR into petroleum products for the Ghanaian market.
The development brings together two key state-owned players in Ghana’s petroleum value chain, GNPC and TOR, in a collaboration aimed at strengthening domestic refining capacity and increasing the use of Ghana’s indigenous crude resources.
Managing Director of TOR, Edmond Kombat, described the shipment as a significant opportunity for the refinery, noting that it was the first time a Ghanaian refinery had received a parcel of crude from the Sankofa Field for refining.
Mr Kombat said the development would enable TOR to strengthen its operations while contributing to the broader objective of building a more resilient and sustainable petroleum industry.
He said stronger cooperation between upstream and downstream operators could improve crude supply, support refinery operations and create greater value from Ghana’s natural resources.
The shipment also aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s stated policy direction of linking Ghana’s upstream petroleum production with the midstream and downstream sectors to ensure that more value from the country’s petroleum resources is added and retained locally.
The latest development comes as TOR continues efforts to sustain its operations and expand its role in Ghana’s domestic petroleum products supply chain.
GNPC and TOR are also discussing further areas of cooperation as part of efforts to deepen collaboration between the two institutions.
Mr Kombat expressed appreciation to President Mahama, Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor and the leadership and management of GNPC, led by Kwame Ntow, for their support and partnership.
He also thanked TOR’s tolling partners, Fujeirah and Triangle Commodities Trading (TCT), for their continued support and commitment to the refinery.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
