Ghana’s Tema Oil Refinery Gets 1 Million Barrels of Bonga Crude Ahead of Restart

Ghana’s Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has received about 1 million barrels of Bonga crude oil aboard the MT Cap Felix as part of efforts to restore steady refining operations and strengthen domestic fuel supply.

In a statement on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, Tema Oil Refinery said the cargo was purchased from Shell and delivered through its tolling partner, Fujairah/Triangle Commodities Trading (TCT). The refinery said the arrangement is intended to support its operational recovery and ensure a more stable flow of petroleum products into the Ghanaian market.

Bonga crude, which is produced from the deepwater Bonga field in the Gulf of Guinea off Nigeria’s Niger Delta, is regarded as a high-quality, low-sulphur crude with strong refining yields. Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) added that the cargo is expected to produce a range of products, including liquefied petroleum gas, petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation turbine kerosene and fuel oil for both local and regional use.

The refinery described the delivery as another milestone in its revival programme and said it remains committed to transparency, operational efficiency and environmental responsibility. It also explained that it aims to position itself as a commercially sustainable energy hub for Ghana and West Africa.

Tema Oil Refinery thanked the government, regulators, financial partners and other stakeholders for their support as it works to rebuild operations. The company added that it will continue to update the public as refining activities progress.

The development comes months after TOR restarted crude refining operations in December 2025 following extensive maintenance works. Ghana’s only refinery has faced years of interruptions linked to maintenance challenges, financing constraints and crude supply shortages.

The latest crude delivery is part of broader efforts to stabilise fuel availability and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported refined products.