Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has made headlines after successfully exporting the first-ever cargo of the recently launched Cawthorne crude grade to the Netherlands, signalling a milestone achievement for Nigeria in efforts to diversify its crude oil export range
According to NNPC Ltd, the shipment, comprising 950,000 barrels, has been loaded aboard the vessel, MT Eburones, and is now making its way into international markets.
The loading process took place via the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel, which links up to the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18, a crucial platform that facilitates crude evacuation activities in offshore Bonny.
The company’s spokesperson, Andy Odeh, explained that the launch of the export cargo is one of the ways NNPC seeks to increase crude production levels and develop new competitive export blends. This Cawthorne crude grade has an API gravity of 36.4 and is characterised as a light, sweet crude, similar to Bonny Light, yielding good petrol and diesel yields.
The company noted that the shipment builds on recent additions to Nigeria’s crude slate, including Nembe and Utapate, and reinforces efforts to strengthen the country’s position in the global oil market.
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Speaking on the milestone, NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, said the successful export reflects the company’s commitment to converting Nigeria’s resource potential into tangible economic value.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration with partners in OML 18 and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in achieving the milestone.
Ojulari added that the development aligns with NNPC’s long-term targets of raising crude oil production to three million barrels per day and gas output to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.
NNPC said it will continue to leverage its infrastructure and partnerships to optimise production, improve operational efficiency, and enhance Nigeria’s energy security, positioning the country as a reliable supplier in the global energy market.
