Ghana refines Jubilee crude locally for first time as Sentuo Expansion plans advance
Ghana has achieved a significant milestone in its petroleum industry with the successful delivery of locally produced Jubilee Crude Oil to the Sentuo Oil Refinery in Tema for domestic processing, marking the first time crude from the Jubilee Field has been refined at the facility.
The development is being hailed as a major step towards positioning Ghana as a leading petroleum refining hub in West Africa while advancing the government’s agenda of industrialisation, energy security, local value addition and job creation.
The milestone event brought together government officials, petroleum industry stakeholders, upstream partners and investors, reflecting growing confidence in Ghana’s energy sector and its long-term development prospects.
Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, described the achievement as a landmark moment in Ghana’s petroleum sector.
According to him, the refining of Jubilee Crude locally represents more than a commercial transaction and demonstrates the government’s commitment to maximising value from the country’s natural resources.
“This achievement goes beyond a commercial transaction. It represents a deliberate national policy decision to deepen local value addition, strengthen energy security, promote industrialisation and retain a greater share of the benefits derived from Ghana’s petroleum resources within our economy,” he said.
Chairman of Sentuo Oil Refinery, Ningquan Xu, also described the arrival of Jubilee Crude Oil at the refinery as a transformative development for Ghana’s economic future.
He noted that the country is gradually moving beyond the export of raw resources and building a stronger foundation for value-added industrial growth.
“Ghana is moving beyond being simply an exporter of raw resources. This refinery stands as a symbol of confidence in Ghana’s future. Ghana can become the energy gateway of the region,” he stated.
The local refining initiative follows engagements facilitated by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition involving Sentuo Oil Refinery, GNPC, Explorco, Tullow Ghana, Kosmos Energy, Vitol Ghana and other industry stakeholders. The discussions resulted in the allocation of approximately one million barrels of Jubilee Crude Oil for domestic refining.
The achievement comes ahead of another major development in Ghana’s petroleum sector. President Mahama is expected to cut sod on June 24, 2026, for Phase Two of the Sentuo Oil Refinery Expansion Project.
The expansion will increase the refinery’s processing capacity from 40,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day, positioning it among the largest refineries in West Africa and strengthening Ghana’s ambition to become a strategic petroleum refining and distribution centre for West African and Sahel markets.
Industry stakeholders expect the project to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, improve energy security, boost foreign exchange retention, reduce reliance on imported petroleum products and stimulate investment across the downstream petroleum sector.
Analysts believe the increased refining capacity will enhance Ghana’s ability to process its own crude oil while supplying refined petroleum products to neighbouring countries, further cementing its role as a key energy destination on the continent.
With Jubilee Crude now being refined locally and plans in place to significantly expand refining capacity, Ghana is taking important steps towards transforming its petroleum resources into greater economic value through domestic processing and industrial development.
The upcoming sod-cutting ceremony is expected to attract senior government officials, international investors, petroleum industry executives and development partners, highlighting growing confidence in Ghana’s energy future and its emergence as a regional hub for petroleum refining and industrial growth.
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