Ghana receives first Angolan crude via Greek tanker for new refinery

Ghana has marked a major step in its efforts to revitalise domestic fuel production with the arrival of its first shipment of Angolan crude oil.

• Ghana received its first shipment of Angolan crude oil, marking a significant step in revitalizing domestic fuel production.
• Operational challenges at Sentuo were previously attributed to financial and political constraints, impacting crude processing.
• Increased refining activities aim to reduce Ghana’s dependency on imported fuel products while diversifying energy sources.

The delivery was made by a Greek-operated Suezmax tanker, Nicolaos, which docked at the Sentuo Refinery following a six-month hiatus in operations.

According to vessel tracking data, the 165,000-deadweight-tonne Nicolaos, operated by Andriaki Shipping, loaded approximately 500,000 barrels of Palanca crude oil on 25 April. The vessel had been scheduled to discharge its cargo at Tema between 3 and 5 May.

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Operational setback ends at Sentuo refinery

The 120,000-barrel-per-day Sentuo facility had ceased imports after its initial commissioning last year. Industry consultancy Kpler attributed the pause to "financial and political constraints" that had delayed its ability to process further shipments.

Kpler noted, "The resumption of crude imports into Sentuo signals the refinery’s commencement of crude processing—an important milestone that could reduce Ghana’s dependence on refined fuel imports."

Diversified crude sourcing in 2024-2025

Prior to this, Ghana had imported 500,000 barrels of Nigeria's Brass River crude in February, which Kpler suggested was used for power generation due to a temporary shutdown of the West African Gas Pipeline.

Previous deliveries to the Sentuo Refinery included cargoes from Russia, as well as a single shipment from Ivory Coast’s Baleine offshore field.

Refinery activity and economic implications

In October 2024, reports indicated that Sentuo was operating below capacity at under 20,000 barrels per day, while the Tema Oil Refinery, with a capacity of 40,000 barrels per day, remained offline.

The recommencement of crude processing is expected to ease the country’s heavy reliance on imported petroleum products. In February, Ghana recorded its highest monthly import of petrol and diesel, reaching a combined total of 480,000 tonnes.

Kpler warned that any reduction in Ghana's demand for imported oil products could lower regional clean tanker demand.

Tanker movements reflect strategic shifts

After discharging its cargo, the Nicolaos departed Tema and was reported heading towards Nigeria as of Tuesday, according to AIS data.

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Last May, another Suezmax tanker, the Snow Lotus (159,100 dwt), had been anchored off the Sentuo refinery for months with a consignment of Russian Varandey crude. It had initially arrived in February, loaded from Lukoil’s Kola floating storage and offloading unit in the Arctic, signalling earlier logistical challenges.

The renewed activity at Sentuo suggests a broader effort by Ghana to diversify its energy sources and boost domestic refining capacity amid global price pressures and import dependency.

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