Sentua Oil Refinery | Sentuo web site, learn more page (accessed May 27, 2026)
Construction & Development Phases
The refinery was designed from the outset as a three-train, multi-phase development, with each train adding approximately 40,000 bpd of capacity:
Phase 1 — Train 1 (40,000 bpd)
Construction ran from June 2021 to mid-2023, with a test run on August 29, 2023 and presidential commissioning on January 26, 2024. Total Phase 1 investment: $753.85 million (91% equity, 9% debt). Phase 1 EPC contractor: China Shandong International Economic & Technical Cooperation Group Ltd (CSI).
Phase 2 — Train 2 (additional 40,000 bpd → total 80,000 bpd)
Financed by a $100 million syndicated loan from China Eximbank and China Construction Bank, backed by Sinosure (China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation), signed in July 2023. Total Phase 2 investment: $862.11 million (87% equity, 13% debt). Nominal completion originally targeted January 2024; actual commissioning delayed.
Phase 3 — Train 3 (additional 40,000 bpd → total 120,000 bpd)
Announced in July 2024 following receipt of the full NPA operating licence; Sentuo Group committed an additional $980 million investment for a further 2 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity addition, with a subsequent 3 MMTPA second tranche.
Plant Configuration & Technology
SORL is fundamentally a hydrocracking-centred complex — distinct from Tema Oil Refinery (TOR)'s simpler hydro-skimming/FCC design — and capable of processing medium to heavy crude grades, including Ghana's domestic Jubilee Sweet Light crude:
| Processing Unit |
Type / Technology |
| |
|
| Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) |
Atmospheric distillation of crude into fractions |
| Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU) |
Processes atmospheric residue into vacuum gasoil and vacuum residue |
Resid
Hydrocracking |
Converts vacuum gasoil and residues into light products via hydrogen addition under pressure; more complex and capital-intensive than FCC but yields higher-quality, lower-sulphur products |
| Catalytic Reformer |
Converts naphtha into high-octane gasoline components and hydrogen |
| Hydrotreater |
Desulphurisation of diesel and other distillates to meet Euro IV+ standards |
| Asphalt / Pitch Unit |
Produces 350,000 tonnes/year of pitch products |
| Lube Base Oil Unit |
Produces 200,000 tonnes/year of lubricating base oil and solvent naphtha |
| Polypropylene Unit |
Converts refinery propylene byproduct into polypropylene polymer |
| Sulphur Recovery Unit |
Processes hydrogen sulphide into elemental sulphur and ammonium sulphate |
Process Licensor: Shanghai HoTo Engineering (上海浩拓工程) — a Shanghai-based Chinese engineering company founded in 2005, specialising in full-cycle EPC and engineering design services for oil refining and petrochemical enterprises. Holding 26 state patents, HoTo possesses proprietary technology across fluid catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, hydrocracking, sulphur recovery, and catalytic reforming. Its role at SORL covered overall planning, engineering design, and project management for the 5 MTPA refinery complex.
Capacity Summary
| Phase |
Trains |
Capacity (bpd) |
Capacity (MTPA) |
Status |
| Phase 1 |
1 |
40,000 |
2.0 |
✅ Operational (Jan 2024) |
| Phase 2 |
2 |
80,000 |
4.0 |
🔄 In commissioning |
| Phase 3 |
3 |
120,000 |
5.0+ |
🔄 Under development |
| Ultimate |
3 |
120,000 |
5.0+ |
Target |
Note: Various sources cite slightly different final capacity figures ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 bpd depending on the phase definition and date of reporting. The company's own website states 120,000 bpd as the three-train total.
Product Slate
SORL produces a broader product slate than TOR, reflecting its more complex hydrocracking configuration:
Primary fuels (domestic market focus):
- Gasoil / Diesel (34% of output in 2024)
- Gasoline / Petrol (27% of output)
- LPG / Cooking Gas (25% of output)
- Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK / jet fuel)
- Kerosene
Specialty and industrial products:
- Lubricating base oil and solvent naphtha (~200,000 t/yr)
- Asphalt / pitch products (~350,000 t/yr)
- Polypropylene (~400,000 t/yr of polymer and byproducts)
- Ammonium sulphate, sulphuric acid, sulphur
Product quality standard: Euro IV and above — significantly higher than TOR's legacy output, reflecting modern hydrocracking design.
Feedstock & Crude Supply
Unlike TOR — which was designed for light West African and Angolan crudes — SORL's hydrocracker is designed to run medium to heavy crude grades, giving it broader feedstock flexibility. Crucially, Sentuo has successfully processed Ghanaian domestic crude (Jubilee/TEN grades) and has negotiated a partial baseload supply of domestic crude from the government, reducing its dependence on imported feedstocks. As of 2024, it was also sourcing Russian crude to supplement domestic supply.
Operational Performance
| Year |
Production (MT) |
Notes |
| 2023 |
86,877 |
Partial year (Aug–Dec only); start-up phase |
| 2024 |
312,070 |
Full year; 260% increase over 2023 |
| 2024 market share |
65% |
Of all petroleum products refined within Ghana |
By end-2024, Sentuo had become the dominant force in Ghana's domestic refining, accounting for 65% of all locally refined petroleum products and holding nearly 24% of all privately held fuel storage capacity in the country.
Quality Controversy
Shortly after commissioning, in February 2024, Ghana's National Petroleum Authority (NPA) briefly suspended the sale of fuel from SORL, citing concerns over alleged substandard product quality. The suspension was subsequently lifted following product testing and remediation by SORL. The company has since received its full NPA operating licence (July 2024) and continued uninterrupted operations through 2025 and into 2026.
References
- AidData / China Eximbank Project Database — Confirms SORL incorporation date (November 18, 2018), registration number (CS329482018), two-phase project structure, capacity (5 MTPA / 100,000 bpd), financing terms, Phase 1 EPC contractor (CSI), and Chinese project titles.
china.aiddata.org/projects/108263
- AidData / China Construction Bank Project Database — Confirms Phase 2 Sinosure-backed $100M loan details (China Eximbank + China Construction Bank, signed July 2023).
china.aiddata.org/projects/108264
- Sentuo Oil Refinery Ltd. EIS Draft (June 2020, via Scribd) — Environmental Impact Statement containing early project specifications, site details, and original Phase 1 timeline.
scribd.com/document/591492640
- SORL Official Website — sorlgh.com (acessed May 27, 2026) — States process licensor (Shanghai HoTo Engineering), BRI framework, "1D1F" alignment, phase capacities (2 MTPA / 5 MTPA), site location in Tema Industrial Zone, and contact information.
sorlgh.co
- 2. Shanghai HoTo Engineering — SORL Project Page — Confirms HoTo's specific role at SORL such as enabling seamless integration across all eight process units. Also confirms the plant start-up date of December 15, 2023.
cnhoto.com/newsinfo/900415
- Shanghai HoTo Engineering — About Us — Confirms holding multiple patents — including proprietary technologies in FCC, hydrotreating, hydrocracking, sulphur recovery (HSR technology), and catalytic reforming.
HoTo Linkedin page
- Yen.com.gh (July 20 2023) — Reports Ghana's Trade Minister visit to the construction site; confirms August 2023 start-up target and refinery operational scope.
yen.com.gh — Sentuo operations
- Graphic.com.gh (January 29, 2024) — Confirms presidential commissioning ceremony on January 26, 2024; $2 billion total investment; Xu Ning Quan as Executive Chairman; 100-acre site; product slate.
graphic.com.gh — Sentuo commissioning
- Xinhua News Agency (January 29, 2024) — Ghanaian presidential commissioning coverage confirming Chinese-built status and capacity.
english.news.cn — Xinhua Sentuo
- Petro-Logistics.com (May 15, 2024) — Technical market analysis: feedstock flexibility (medium/heavy crudes and Russian crude), Jubilee/TEN crude compatibility, market positioning vs. TOR.
petro-logistics.com — Sentuo West Africa
- Tank Terminals / Ghana Upstream (July 29, 2024) — Confirms receipt of full NPA operational licence; announces $980M Phase 3 investment for 2 MTPA additional capacity.
tankterminals.com — Sentuo $980M
- GhanaWeb (August 1, 2024) — Reports full NPA operating licence granted; ARDA and CITAC congratulations; $980M further investment commitment details
ghanaweb.com — Sentuo licence
- Ghana Upstream Petroleum Chamber (July 29, 2024) — Additional confirmation of full licence and Phase 3 announcement.
ghanaupstream.com — Sentuo $980M
- The High Street Journal (January 18, 2026) — 2024 vs 2023 production data (86,877 MT vs 312,070 MT); 65% domestic market share; 24% of private fuel storage capacity in Ghana; product yield breakdown (diesel 34%, gasoline 27%, LPG 25%).
thehighstreetjournal.com — Sentuo CBOD
- IntelliNews (February 26, 2024) — NPA temporary suspension of SORL fuel sales citing quality concerns; subsequent resolution.
intellinews.com — NPA suspension
- Africa Intelligence (October 31, 2025) — Reports on SORL's dispute with Dubai-based crude oil trader; crude supply security challenges; Chairman identified as "Xu.
africaintelligence.com — Sentuo Dubai
- Sentuo Group Instagram (April 13, 2026) — CEO highlights manufacturing priorities and alignment with Ghana's 24-hour economy plan; most recent public statement
instagram.com/reel/DXE3kmpjAzw
