Green Energy International Limited (GEIL) has successfully carried out the inaugural crude export from its newly built Otakikpo onshore terminal, marking an achievement in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
At around 2pm on Sunday, June 8, Shell’s chartered off-taker vessel completed the first crude lifting from the facility, situated in Rivers State’s Otakikpo marginal field.
This terminal stands out as the first privately developed and managed onshore crude export site in Nigeria in over 50 years.
GEIL Chairman, Prof. Anthony Adegbulugbe, called the milestone a momentous breakthrough, attributing it to divine favor, the determination of the company’s workforce, and backing from regulatory bodies.
He expressed gratitude to all collaborators and praised the commitment of the local technical team for seeing the project through, describing it as a proud achievement for Nigeria and African-owned energy enterprises.
Earlier, The PUNCH highlighted that the facility can initially store up to 750,000 barrels, with plans to scale up to three million barrels. It also includes a 360,000 barrels-per-day pumping system for tanker loading.
Adegbulugbe noted that the company completed the terminal in less than two years, making it the first of its kind developed by a private African energy firm.
GEIL invested over $400 million in the first stage of the terminal, with total investment projected to exceed $1.3 billion upon full completion.
The infrastructure can receive up to 250,000 barrels of crude daily, even though the Otakikpo field currently yields about 10,000 barrels per day.
The company emphasized that the terminal offers crucial evacuation access for more than 40 nearby oil fields, which collectively hold an estimated three billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Industry experts believe this development could enhance Nigeria’s production capacity, reduce dependency on offshore terminals, and attract new investors to the country’s oil industry.
As global demand for African crude grows, the terminal is expected to become a key investment magnet and strengthen Nigeria’s global energy presence.
GEIL stated that the Otakikpo terminal will play a vital role in improving crude evacuation and accelerating production in alignment with Nigeria’s long-term energy strategy.
source : punchng.com
African Energy Council