Sentuo Refinery takes delivery of Local crude for Processing

Ghana has taken a significant step towards domestic petroleum value addition with the first-ever delivery of crude oil from the Jubilee Field to the Sentuo Oil Refinery for local processing.The milestone was marked at the Sentuo Oil Refinery in Tema on Monday, June 8, 2026 during the Jubilee Crude Oil Berth Ceremony.

Addressing the gathering, Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, described the occasion as a landmark achievement in Ghana’s efforts to derive greater value from its natural resources.

“This achievement goes beyond a commercial transaction. It represents a deliberate national policy decision to deepen local value addition, strengthen energy security, promote industrialisation and retain a greater share of the benefits derived from Ghana’s petroleum resources within our economy,” he said.

He noted that for years Ghana exported crude oil while importing refined petroleum products, despite being an oil-producing nation. According to him, true economic transformation requires refining and adding value to resources locally to create jobs, build technical capacity and generate greater economic benefits for citizens.

Mr Jinapor said the refinery’s operations had already created employment opportunities for hundreds of Ghanaians, adding that such investments demonstrate the importance of building domestic processing capacity.

The minister revealed that Sentuo Oil Refinery had taken delivery of one million barrels of crude oil from the Jubilee Field, while the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) had also received one million barrels for processing. He expressed optimism that Ghana could significantly reduce its dependence on imported refined products if both facilities operate at full capacity.

“The Central Oil Refinery has emerged as one of the most significant private-sector investments in Ghana’s downstream petroleum industry,” he said, noting that the refinery is expected to expand from its current 40,000-barrel-per-day capacity to 100,000 barrels per day upon completion of its second phase.

He said recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East had reinforced the importance of strengthening local refining capacity. According to him, the government had convened a special Cabinet meeting to assess the potential impact of the conflict on Ghana’s fuel supply and economy.

Mr Jinapor disclosed that following the discussions, President Mahama directed the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to work with stakeholders to explore the possibility of refining more of Ghana’s crude oil domestically rather than exporting it in raw form.

“Domestic refining is not only an energy security imperative, but also a critical component of our industrial transformation agenda,” he said.He said the ministry subsequently engaged GNPC, Jubilee Field partners, regulators and private-sector operators to develop a roadmap that led to the delivery of the crude cargo to Sentuo.

Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, described the development as a turning point in Ghana’s industrialisation journey, saying it represented a break from the long-standing practice of exporting crude oil and importing refined products.

“For the first time in Ghana’s history as an oil-producing nation, crude oil lifted from beneath our own waters has arrived not in Rotterdam, Guangzhou or the Gulf of Mexico, but here on Ghanaian soil at a world-class refinery to be refined into fuel that will power Ghanaian homes, businesses and roads,” she said.

She said the achievement aligns with the government’s industrial transformation agenda by ensuring that more value from the country’s natural resources is retained locally.

According to her, products from the refinery, including diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and asphalt, would support transportation, household energy use, agriculture, manufacturing and infrastructure development while creating employment opportunities across the economy.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare commended Sentuo Group for investing nearly US$2 billion in Ghana, describing the project as one of the country’s most significant industrial investments.

“Your ambition that Africa must stop exporting raw materials and begin owning its own value chain is not just a business philosophy. It is a patriotic act for this continent,” she said.

The minister also disclosed that discussions were underway on plans to establish a fertiliser manufacturing plant in Ghana, a move she said would deepen industrialisation and support the government’s import-substitution agenda.

Executive Assistant to the Executive Chairman of Sentuo Group, Eric Lin, said the arrival of Jubilee crude oil marked the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s energy and industrial transformation.

“Today is not only the arrival of a crude oil cargo. It is the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s energy and industrial transformation,” he said.

Mr Lin said the milestone reflected the government’s commitment to promoting local value addition, industrialisation, energy security and local content development.

He thanked the Government of Ghana, regulatory institutions, industry partners and stakeholders for their support in making the project possible, adding that local refining would help transform Ghana’s natural resources into jobs, industrial growth and broader economic opportunities.

The ceremony featured the symbolic announcement of the arrival and docking of the first Jubilee crude oil vessel, the unveiling of the Jubilee Crude Berth plaque, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, media interactions and a guided tour of the refinery and berthing terminal.

Industry stakeholders described the event as a significant step toward reducing Ghana’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products and strengthening the country’s position as a value-adding oil-producing nation.

 

 

 

For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z

The post Sentuo Refinery takes delivery of Local crude for Processing appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story