Lagos — Nigeria has commissioned its first wholly owned Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel near its Bonny export terminal, as Africa’s largest oil producer works to strengthen its crude export infrastructure.
The 2.2-million-barrel capacity vessel is expected to enhance crude oil transportation and production from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 and surrounding assets in the Eastern Niger Delta. It will also reduce reliance on pipelines and curb risks linked to oil theft and vandalism.
The FSO Cawthorne was developed by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, which holds a 55% stake in OML 18, alongside Sahara Group, Eroton Exploration & Production, and Bilton Energy. In a statement, Sahara Energy said the vessel is stationed offshore Bonny, the export point for Nigeria’s high-grade Bonny Light crude.
Tosin Etomi, Head of Commercial and Planning at Asharami Energy, a Sahara Group company, said the FSO would help lower carbon emissions from barge movements and improve evacuation safety.
Converted from a Very Large Crude Carrier, the double-hull vessel is designed to receive, store, and offload crude oil to export tankers. It addresses long-standing logistical challenges such as limited barge capacity, siltation at berthing slots, and delays in ship-to-ship transfers.
The vessel is expected to support OML 18’s 2025 production target of 50 000 barrels per day, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s drive towards energy efficiency and improved export reliability.
