Lagos: Dangote Refinery says it plans to double its workforce as it targets 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) capacity from 700,000 bpd by 2029. Mr. Devakumar Edwin, Group Vice President, Oil and Gas and Fertiliser, Dangote Industries Ltd., disclosed this while taking newsmen on a tour of the refinery in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Edwin said the basic engineering for the expansion had been completed, with almost all detailed engineering work also concluded. He noted that most equipment had been ordered, and major contracts had been signed with advance payments made to contractors. Edwin highlighted that the expansion would cost slightly less than the first phase due to the availability of key supporting infrastructure.
The refinery, originally designed for 650,000 bpd, is currently operating at about 700,000 bpd, with its crude distillation unit tested at about 710,000 bpd. Edwin mentioned that the facility is designed to process a wide range of crude grades, including most African crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate, to reduce dependence on Nigerian crude.
The refinery’s configuration aims to maximize petrol output, which aligns with Nigeria’s consumption pattern, with petrol accounting for 53 percent of its production capacity. Edwin also stated that the refinery produces Euro 5 and Euro 6-standard petroleum products for domestic and international markets, exporting petrol, aviation fuel, and diesel to various regions.
The expansion will also boost petrochemical production, including linear alkyl benzene, base oil, and polypropylene. The News Agency of Nigeria observed the high level of automation within the refinery, noting that more than 70 percent of the facility is automated, with major processing units controlled from the main control room.
The tour included visits to the central laboratory, Main Control Room, and other processing units, as well as loading bays and storage tanks. The expansion is part of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals’ effort to raise about 2.15 trillion through an ongoing initial public offering (IPO), with proceeds expected to fund the capacity increase.