Refining capacity pressures from crude supply constraints
Turns to Libya’s Sharara Grade and other African producers as inadequate domestic crude supplies threaten refining capacity.
Africa’s largest single-train refinery, the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is increasingly relying on Libyan crude oil to sustain production, highlighting the persistent challenge of securing sufficient domestic feedstock despite Nigeria’s status as Africa’s leading crude oil producer.
The refinery has expanded its crude sourcing program by importing Libya’s premium Sharara-grade crude to compensate for shortages in local supplies, enabling it to maintain high processing volumes and uninterrupted production of refined petroleum products.
Industry shipping data indicate that July marked the third consecutive month the refinery received cargoes of Sharara crude after taking its maiden shipment in May. Another one-million-barrel cargo of the light sweet Libyan grade is expected to arrive this week, reinforcing the growing role of North African crude in Dangote Refinery’s feedstock portfolio.
The refinery is also sourcing crude from other African producers as part of a broader diversification strategy aimed at reducing dependence on Nigerian grades while ensuring a reliable supply of feedstock.
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