Crude receipts at Nigeria's 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery rose to a new high in December.
The refinery received just under 395,000 b/d last month, up from 280,000 b/d in November, according to Argus tracking, plus Kpler and Vortexa data. For a fourth consecutive month December's crude deliveries were all Nigerian and did not include any US WTI. Deliveries of WTI had been anticipated in December, but did not materialise.
Last month's receipts included cargoes of Nigerian grades Escravos, Bonny Light, CJ Blend, Qua Iboe and Erha. Bonny Light was the largest single grade at 140,000 b/d. Three deliveries on very large crude carriers (VLCC) helped boost receipts. No cargoes of Forcados or Amenam were delivered to Dangote last month, having previously been regular grades at the unit (see chart).
Dangote Group is maintaining a very consistent slate in terms of gravity and especially sulphur content. Argus assessed Dangote's December slate at a weighted average gravity of 36.3°API and under 0.2pc sulphur content, compared with 36.4°API and under 0.2pc sulphur in November. In March-December, the slate averaged 36.3°API and again, under 0.2pc sulphur.
Operator Dangote Group said it is aiming for 350,000 b/d of throughput in a first phase of operations. Receipts did hit 350,000 b/d in June, but fell back after that. Since March, when crude delivery began to increase, estimated receipts have averaged a little under 275,000 b/d.
