Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has received 950,000 barrels of Sankofa crude oil from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), marking the first time the refinery has taken delivery of crude from the Sankofa-Gye Nyame field for processing.
The shipment, transported aboard the Sonangol Cazenga, was sourced from the Offshore Cape Three Points project near Sanzule in the Western Region.
The light sweet crude will be refined at TOR into petroleum products for the Ghanaian market, strengthening the connection between domestic oil production and local fuel supply.
GNPC and TOR Deepen Petroleum Sector Collaboration
The delivery forms part of a commercial arrangement between the two state institutions to improve crude oil supply to TOR and retain more value from Ghana’s petroleum resources.
GNPC Chief Executive Kwame Ntow Amoah and TOR Managing Director Edmond Kombat jointly inspected the vessel carrying the cargo.
Mr Amoah said the agreement creates an opportunity for Ghanaian crude to be processed locally rather than relying exclusively on buyers outside the country.
“The supply of Sankofa crude to TOR on commercial terms represents more than a transaction between two state institutions.
“It is an opportunity to take a Ghanaian resource, process more of it in Ghana, and create value across our own petroleum industry.” - Kwame Ntow Amoah
First Sankofa Cargo Marks Milestone for TOR
Mr Kombat described the shipment as an important development in the refinery’s efforts to rebuild its operations and strengthen Ghana’s refining capacity.
He said receiving crude from the Sankofa field for the first time provides TOR with another source of feedstock as it works to sustain production.
The crude is expected to yield products including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and liquefied petroleum gas.
According to GNPC, the cargo was fully paid for through a Letter of Credit accepted by the corporation, with no debt exposure arising from the transaction.
Partnership Could Expand Beyond Crude Supply
The development supports the government’s stated objective of linking Ghana’s upstream petroleum industry with domestic refining and fuel distribution.
TOR said the arrangement aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s efforts to increase local value addition from the country’s natural resources.
GNPC and TOR are also discussing additional areas of cooperation, including the potential supply of natural gas to support refinery operations.
The TOR Managing Director thanked President Mahama, Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor, GNPC’s management and the refinery’s tolling partners for their support.
For TOR, the immediate significance of the shipment is access to locally produced crude. A sustained supply arrangement could help the refinery maintain operations while allowing more of Ghana’s petroleum resources to be processed for domestic consumption.
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