BY NKECHI NAECHE—ESEZOBOR—The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced the commencement of exports for its newly introduced crude oil grade, Cawthorne.
According to statement issued by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, that the Cawthorne blend, the newest addition to Nigeria’s portfolio of crude oil grades, has an API gravity of 36.4, classifying it as a light and sweet crude.
This places it in the same category as Bonny Light and makes it highly attractive in the international market because of its high petrol and diesel yield.
NNPC Ltd further confirmed that the Cawthorne blend was loaded onto the MT Eburones vessel for shipment to The Netherlands, from where it will enter the global market.
The first consignment, consisting of 950,000 barrels, was exported through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel.
Strategically positioned offshore Bonny in Rivers State, the FSO is designed to improve crude evacuation from OML 18, while also reinforcing Nigeria’s export dependability, operational effectiveness, and overall energy security.
The launch of Cawthorne into the international market reflects NNPC Ltd’s intentional strategy to maximize value from its assets, strengthen competitiveness in the global energy market, and support the presidential target of increasing crude oil production to three million barrels per day and gas production to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy initiatives, ongoing reforms in the sector, and the strong collaboration among OML 18 partners, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other stakeholders that made the milestone possible.
According to him, NNPC Limited will continue to leverage innovation, build strategic partnerships, and maintain efficient operational practices to maximize the value of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources, while protecting the country’s long-term energy stability and economic growth.
