The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has recorded the lifting of 950,000 barrels of Cawthorne Blend crude into the international market, marking the country’s first crude export from a newly developed terminal in five decades. The milestone was achieved through the ultramodern Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) Cawthorne vessel.
The development underscores renewed momentum in Nigeria’s crude oil production and export capacity, signalling a strategic shift towards infrastructure expansion and operational efficiency in the sector. The FSO Cawthorne terminal provides essential storage and offtake capabilities for crude produced from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 and surrounding assets, enhancing operational flexibility and export efficiency in the region.
Sahara Group backed the deployment of FSO Cawthorne, describing the facility as pivotal to strengthening Nigeria’s energy security through reliable production, storage, and evacuation infrastructure. “The facility is pivotal to strengthening Nigeria’s energy security through reliable production, storage, and evacuation infrastructure,” Sahara Group said.
The company highlighted the deployment of advanced technologies on the vessel, noting that FSO Cawthorne integrated cutting-edge systems, including artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring and robust Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) frameworks, designed to improve operational efficiency, ensure asset integrity, and enhance environmental performance.
Head of Commercial and Planning at Asharami Energy, Dr. Tosin Etomi, described the crude lifting as a defining moment for the asset and the broader oil and gas industry.
