Our Correspondent
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has commenced exports of its new crude grade, Cawthorne, marking a major milestone in its efforts to boost Nigeria’s crude oil production and expand its portfolio of globally competitive export streams.
Cawthorne blend crude has an API gravity of 36.4, classifying it as a light, sweet crude—similar to Bonny Light—and prized internationally for its superior petrol and diesel yields.
NNPC Ltd confirmed that on Sunday, the maiden cargo of 950,000 barrels was loaded onto the MT Eburones and shipped to The Netherlands.
The statement added that the export was facilitated via the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel, strategically located offshore Bonny, Rivers State.
This FSO strengthens crude evacuation from OML 18, enhances export reliability, and boosts operational efficiency and Nigeria’s energy security.
The introduction of Cawthorne highlights NNPC Ltd’s strategic focus on unlocking value from its assets, enhancing market competitiveness, and supporting the Presidential mandate to scale crude production to 3 million barrels per day and gas output to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030. This launch follows recent additions such as Nembe and Utapate, reflecting a structured approach to optimize production and expand Nigeria’s global market presence.
Commenting on the development, NNPC Ltd Group CEO Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s sector reforms and the collaborative efforts of OML 18 partners, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other stakeholders.
Ojulari emphasized NNPC Ltd’s commitment to partnerships, operational discipline, and innovative solutions to ensure sustainable growth and national energy security:
“This milestone reflects our focus on execution, partnership, and value creation. We are moving decisively from resource potential to resource monetization, ensuring that every asset delivers measurable commercial outcomes.
The successful export of Cawthorne crude is part of a broader strategy to grow production, deepen market relevance, and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a reliable global energy supplier.
We remain focused on sustainable growth aligned with national objectives and global market expectations.”
NNPC Ltd will continue leveraging innovation, strategic partnerships, and operational discipline to unlock the full value of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources while ensuring long-term energy security and economic growth.
