Claims of petrol unit shutdown fake — Dangote Refinery

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has dismissed claims of petrol unit shutdown for two to three months as fake.

Anthony Chiejina, spokesman for the Dangote Group, described the report as “fake.”

Reuters had reported that the petrol unit at the 650,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) Dangote refinery could be shut for repairs, citing industry monitor IIR Energy. According to the report, the unit was allegedly closed around August 29 due to catalyst leaks.

The Reuters report added that the refinery planned to attempt restarting its 204,000 bpd Residue Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU) on September 20, but that major repairs and equipment replacement could extend the shutdown for months.

Chiejina, however, rejected the claims, describing them as false on Sunday.

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He questioned the wording used by the Reuters news agency, as the agency had earlier reported that the RFCCU was expected to be shut for at least two weeks.

Recall that Dangote refinery began processing crude in January 2024, which has significantly reduced Europe-to-West petrol exports.

However, according to Kpler data, gasoline exports from the European Union and the United Kingdom (UK) to Nigeria fell from an average of 200,000 bpd in 2024 to about 120,000 bpd in the first half of this year.

The refinery has also shipped two gasoline cargoes to the U.S. East Coast, expected to arrive in New York later this month, marking a milestone as industry observers track its production of fuel meeting U.S. standards.

The refinery plans to ramp up operations to 700,000 bpd by December 2025. In August, it imported Ghana’s Sankofa crude, a heavier grade than its usual light sweet grades.

Kpler said, “In early August, a notable milestone was reached with the arrival of a 900kb Suezmax carrying Sankofa crude from Ghana, the first time Dangote has imported Ghanaian crude. Sankofa, a medium-sweet crude, is heavier than the typical light sweet slate processed at the refinery. It is comparable to other medium-sweet grades that have been received to date, such as Brazilian Mero and Tupi, and Angolan Pazflor.

The Kpler report also indicated that current operations are running at elevated levels.

Kpler said, “Based on observed inventory builds and market intelligence, we estimate that current operations are around 445 kbd, representing 68 per cent of total capacity, up from 400 kbd (60 per cent) in Q1. Throughout is expected to remain near these levels over the coming months, with a dip to around 400 kbd anticipated during December–January maintenance.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE