The management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has reaffirmed its technical ability to refine crude oil produced from Ghana’s offshore fields, dismissing claims that the country’s only refinery cannot process locally sourced crude. The clarification comes amid ongoing public debate about the refinery’s operational capacity and its role in strengthening Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement issued by its Corporate Affairs unit, TOR explained that technical studies and crude assessments confirm that Ghana’s “light sweet crude” from the Jubilee and Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) fields is compatible with the refinery’s existing configuration. According to the refinery, this crude type can be processed efficiently to produce petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel for the domestic market.
The refinery also pointed to operational precedent, noting that crude from the TEN field was successfully refined at the facility in 2016, demonstrating its ability to handle locally produced oil.
As part of efforts to strengthen domestic refining capacity, TOR is undertaking expansion initiatives to increase output. Plans include integrating additional processing units to raise refining capacity from about 28,000 barrels per stream day to 45,000 barrels, with further long-term expansion expected to significantly boost production.
The refinery emphasised that expanding domestic processing could reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported refined fuel while enhancing energy security and value addition in the petroleum sector.
Source: Business & Financial Times (B&FT)
Reporter: B&FT Business Desk
