Nigeria’s First New Crude Terminal in 50 Years Exports 950,000 Barrels

Nigeria has marked a significant achievement in its energy sector with the successful lifting of 950,000 barrels of Cawthorne blend crude into the global market through the FSO Cawthorne vessel, Nigeria’s first new crude oil terminal to come online in five decades.

The historic export marks a major milestone for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and represents the culmination of years of development and regulatory approvals. The first shipment was initiated following licensing and gazetting of the facility by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

The FSO Cawthorne serves as a critical offshore production support asset, providing essential storage and offtake capabilities for crude produced from Oil Mining Lease 18 and nearby producing assets. The facility represents a significant upgrade to Nigeria’s crude oil evacuation infrastructure and demonstrates the country’s continued investment in expanding production capacity and export capabilities.

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Sahara Group, a global energy and infrastructure conglomerate, reiterated the strategic importance of FSO Cawthorne in strengthening Nigeria’s energy security. The facility provides reliable production, storage, and evacuation infrastructure critical to maintaining Nigeria’s position as a major crude oil exporter and supporting national revenue generation.

The facility incorporates cutting-edge technologies including AI-enabled monitoring systems and robust quality, health, safety, and environmental frameworks. These advanced systems enhance operational efficiency, maintain asset integrity, optimize safety performance, and ensure environmental stewardship across all operations.

Sahara Group commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for its leadership of OML 18, where Sahara Group operates as a joint operator and joint venture partner. The company noted that NNPCL’s collaborative approach continues to drive continuous improvement and value creation across Nigeria’s upstream sector.

The Head of Commercial and Planning at Asharami Energy, a Sahara Group upstream company, Dr Tosin Etomi, described the crude lifting as a defining moment for the asset and the broader oil and gas sector. He emphasized that the achievement demonstrates what can be accomplished through shared vision, technical discipline, and committed collaboration among stakeholders.

“The successful commencement of crude lifting from FSO Cawthorne is a significant milestone for the OML 18 partnership and a strong demonstration of what can be achieved through shared vision, technical discipline and committed collaboration,” Etomi stated.

Etomi noted that this milestone aligns with Sahara Group’s comprehensive upstream strategy, which focuses on building a resilient, scalable, and responsible production portfolio anchored on strong partnerships, asset optimization, and long-term value creation.

The successful transition of FSO Cawthorne into active export operations reflects broader industry trends toward infrastructure development that can sustainably support Nigeria’s production ambitions. The facility exemplifies the type of modern infrastructure required to maintain Nigeria’s competitiveness in global crude markets.

Etomi emphasized that Sahara Group’s upstream growth strategy prioritizes operational excellence, indigenous participation, and infrastructure capable of supporting Nigeria’s long-term production objectives. The company views the FSO Cawthorne as integral to this vision, providing the foundation for increased production and export capacity.

Sahara Group’s upstream portfolio extends beyond crude production to include a growing oilfield services division. This integrated approach allows the company to provide comprehensive support across the value chain while driving innovation, efficiency, and sustainability throughout its operations.

“Our expanding oilfield services capabilities are integral to our upstream vision, enabling smarter operations, improved efficiencies and responsible resource development,” Etomi said.

The company has made sustainable social impact interventions and community participation central to its upstream strategy. Sahara Group remains committed to aligning operations with the highest global environmental, social, and governance standards, recognizing that sustainable development requires meaningful engagement with host communities.

Etomi commended the host communities that support OML 18 operations and acknowledged the critical roles played by regulatory and operational institutions. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority all provided essential support in ensuring seamless operations and regulatory compliance.

The licensing and gazetting of FSO Cawthorne by the NUPRC represents successful completion of a rigorous regulatory review process designed to ensure that the facility meets all technical, environmental, and operational standards. This regulatory approval validates the facility’s design and operational readiness.

The achievement holds particular significance for Nigeria’s energy sector given the country’s long-standing challenges in infrastructure development and crude evacuation capacity. The absence of new major crude export infrastructure in 50 years reflects both the capital intensity of such projects and the complexities of developing offshore assets in Nigeria’s operating environment.

FSO Cawthorne’s successful deployment demonstrates that Nigeria remains capable of attracting investment in major upstream infrastructure projects when regulatory certainty and partnership frameworks are in place. The facility’s first export shipment signals to the international investment community that Nigeria remains committed to developing its hydrocarbon resources and maintaining its position as a reliable crude supplier.

The Cawthorne blend crude represents an addition to Nigeria’s portfolio of crude types, providing buyers with increased options and potentially enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global crude markets where light sweet crude varieties command premium valuations.

The successful commencement of FSO Cawthorne operations may encourage additional infrastructure investments across Nigeria’s upstream sector, particularly among existing joint venture partnerships seeking to expand production and export capacity.