Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has launched a new crude oil grade, Cawthorne Blend, into the international market, with the maiden export cargo already en route to the Netherlands in what the company described as a major step toward boosting Nigeria’s crude oil production and strengthening its global competitiveness.
In a statement issued by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, NNPC Ltd said the introduction of the new crude stream represents a significant milestone in its ongoing efforts to expand Nigeria’s export portfolio and enhance market positioning.
According to the statement, Cawthorne Blend — the latest addition to Nigeria’s crude oil basket — has an API gravity of 36.4, classifying it within the light sweet crude category. This places it in the same league as Bonny Light, a grade widely sought after in the global market due to its high yields of petrol and diesel.
NNPC Ltd confirmed that the new crude grade was loaded onto the MT Eburones vessel, which has departed for the Netherlands, marking the first international shipment of the blend.
The company disclosed that the maiden cargo of 950,000 barrels was exported through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) facility. Located offshore Bonny, Rivers State, the FSO is designed to improve crude evacuation from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18, while strengthening Nigeria’s export reliability, operational efficiency, and energy security.
NNPC Ltd noted that the introduction of the Cawthorne Blend aligns with its broader strategy to unlock value from existing assets, deepen market competitiveness, and support the Federal Government’s production targets.
“The introduction of Cawthorne to the international market underscores NNPC Ltd’s deliberate strategy to unlock value from its asset base, deepen market competitiveness, and support the Presidential mandate of scaling crude oil production to three million barrels per day and gas output to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030,” the statement said.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his policy direction and ongoing sector reforms, which he said have helped create the enabling environment for the milestone.
Ojulari also praised the collaboration of OML 18 partners, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other stakeholders for their roles in achieving the successful launch.
He further assured that NNPC Ltd would continue to prioritize innovation and strategic partnerships to maximize Nigeria’s hydrocarbon potential.
“NNPC Limited will continue to leverage innovation, strategic partnerships, and operational discipline to unlock the full value of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources while ensuring Nigeria’s long-term energy security and economic growth,” Ojulari said.
The launch of the Cawthorne Blend is expected to further position Nigeria as a competitive supplier of premium crude grades in the global energy market.
