Communicator

Dakar, Senegal - February 10, 2025

The Société Africaine de Raffinage (SAR), Senegal's leading oil refinery, has successfully received and begun processing its first shipment of crude oil from the Sangomar field. This milestone marks a significant step towards Senegal's energy independence, as the facility will now refine locally produced crude oil into essential petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO).

The operation commenced under the supervision of SAR's Loading Master, with the safe unloading of the inaugural vessel carrying Sangomar crude. This development comes after recent renovations that increased the refinery's capacity to 1.5 million tons per annum, enabling it to meet 70-75% of Senegal's domestic market needs.

The facility, which has been operational since 1961, is jointly owned by several stakeholders, including Petrosen (46%), Locafrique (34%), Sahara Energy Resources (8.18%), TotalEnergies (6.82%), and ITOC (5%). SAR has announced plans for further expansion, targeting a capacity of 2.5 million tons per annum by 2028, which would fully satisfy Senegal's domestic demand of 1.6 million tons while supporting regional market growth.

#societeafricainederaffinage  #totalenergies  #petrosen  #senegal  #dakkar  #crudeoil  #refining  #sangomar 

BPCL Mumbai Refinery

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has unveiled plans for an ambitious $11 billion integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in Andhra Pradesh, marking a significant expansion of India's refining capabilities. The announcement comes as India positions itself to become a major global refining hub amid Western companies' shift toward energy transition.

In a recent interview, BPCL Chairman G. Krishnakumar highlighted the strategic importance of the project, stating, "We feel there is a big opportunity in the refining sector. India's primary energy demand itself is also going to increase three to four times as its economy expands." This expansion aligns with India's vision to become a developed nation by 2047, targeting a GDP growth from $3.8 trillion to $30 trillion.

The proposed facility in Andhra Pradesh will include a 9-million-metric-tons-per-year refinery and an ethylene cracker, with an estimated cost between 900-950 billion rupees ($10.56-11.14 billion). The complex will feature a 35% petrochemical intensity, and pre-project work, including land acquisition, has already begun.

The strategic location in South India is particularly significant, as approximately 80% of the complex's output will serve the southern region's petrochemical developers and automobile manufacturers. This new facility will complement BPCL's existing operations, which currently include three refineries with a combined capacity of 35.3 million metric tons per year, plus fuel purchases from the 3-million-metric-ton Numaligarh refinery in the northeast.

Beyond this major project, BPCL is diversifying its portfolio with renewable energy initiatives. The company aims to achieve 10 gigawatts of clean energy projects by 2035 and has formed a joint venture with Sembcorp to expand its current 300-megawatt renewable energy portfolio.

Additionally, Krishnakumar expressed optimism about the $20 billion Mozambique LNG project, led by France's TotalEnergies, in which BPCL holds a stake alongside other Indian companies. Operations are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2025, with gas monetization projected for 2028-2029.

The investment in the Andhra Pradesh complex will help BPCL reduce its dependence on external fuel purchases, which currently account for one-fifth of the 50 million metric tons of refined fuels sold through its retail stations.

#bpcl  #india  #refinery  #lng  #totalenergies  #grassrootrefinery  #steamcracker  #renewableenergy 

ExxonMobil’s Esso division has completed the sale of the Fos-sur-Mer refinery, one of France’s major refineries, and two other oil terminals to Rhone Energies, a consortium formed by Trafigura with Entara LLC. The deal was announced on Friday, November 1, 2024.

The Fos-sur-Mer refinery has a crude oil processing capacity of 140,000 barrels per day. The transaction includes the Toulouse and Villette-de-Vienne terminals, operated by Exxon’s local unit Esso.

This sale marks a significant reduction in Exxon’s refining capacity in Europe, with its total refining capacity in the region decreasing to approximately 1.1 million barrels per day. However, Exxon remains the second-largest refining capacity holder in northwestern Europe, after TotalEnergies.

The sale is part of Exxon’s efforts to divest non-core assets and focus on its core business. The company is also close to selling its 25% stake in a German refinery, MiRO Mineraloelraffinerie Oberrhein GmbH.

#crudeoil  #refining  #refinery  #exxonmobil  #totalenergies  #france  #miro  #rhoneenergies 

Africa Oil, a prominent oil and gas company, is set to enhance its footprint by acquiring a block in the Orange Basin, marking a strategic move to bolster its presence. Covering an expansive area exceeding 17,000 square kilometers, the block boasts depths ranging from 500 meters to 2.5 kilometers, with an estimated volume of 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe). Notably, the location places the block in close proximity to TotalEnergies and Shell fields.

#shell  #totalenergies  #shell 

Scheduled to commence in the first half of 2024, the drilling operation aims to tap into the substantial energy reserves within the Orange Basin. Additionally, there is speculation that TotalEnergies may express interest in acquiring the block or securing a stake in the project, further shaping the dynamic landscape of this strategic endeavor.