NNPCL RECORDS FIRST CRUDE EXPORT FROM NEW TERMINAL IN FIVE DECADES WITH LIFTING OF 950,000 BARRELS OF CAWTHORNE BLEND

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has recorded the lifting of 950,000 barrels of Cawthorne Blend crude into the international market, marking the country’s first crude export from a newly developed terminal in five decades. The milestone, achieved through the ultramodern Floating Storage and Offloading vessel, underscores renewed momentum in Nigeria’s crude oil production and export capacity, while signalling a strategic shift towards infrastructure expansion and operational efficiency in the sector.

The development affirms earlier reports on the emergence of a new light sweet crude grade, Cawthorne Blend, exported this March under the leadership of NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari. Over the weekend, the first cargo of 950,000 barrels was lifted from the newly licensed and gazetted FSO Cawthorne terminal, following regulatory approvals by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, marking the official commencement of export operations from the facility.

FSO Cawthorne, positioned as a strategic offshore asset, provides essential storage and offtake capabilities for crude produced from Oil Mining Lease 18 and surrounding assets, enhancing operational flexibility and export efficiency in the region.

Reacting to the development, Sahara Group backed the deployment of FSO Cawthorne, describing the facility as pivotal to strengthening Nigeria’s energy security through reliable production, storage and evacuation infrastructure. The company highlighted the deployment of advanced technologies on the vessel, noting that FSO Cawthorne integrated cutting-edge systems, including artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring and robust Quality, Health, Safety and Environment frameworks, designed to improve operational efficiency, ensure asset integrity and enhance environmental performance.

Sahara also commended NNPCL’s leadership role in OML 18, where it operates as a joint venture partner, noting that sustained collaboration among stakeholders was driving improved performance and value creation within Nigeria’s upstream segment.

Speaking on the milestone, Head of Commercial and Planning at Asharami Energy, Dr Tosin Etomi, described the crude lifting as a defining moment for the asset and the broader oil and gas industry.