The management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has dismissed claims that the facility is incapable of processing crude oil produced in Ghana, affirming that the refinery was specifically designed to handle crude from the country’s offshore oil fields.

Godwin Mahama Ayaba, the refinery’s Corporate Affairs Officer, explained that TOR is built to process light sweet crude, the same grade produced from Ghana’s major oil fields.

He noted that the refinery has previously refined locally sourced crude without operational issues, citing a 2016 arrangement in which crude from the Tweneboa Enyenra Ntomme (TEN) Field was successfully processed at TOR.

Ayaba added that crude from both the Jubilee Field and the TEN Field falls within the light sweet crude category, which aligns with the refinery’s technical specifications. He described claims that TOR’s equipment cannot handle Ghanaian crude as inaccurate.

He also revealed that discussions are ongoing between the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, relevant government authorities, and TOR to arrange for the supply of crude from Ghana’s oil fields to the refinery.

Ayaba expressed optimism that an official announcement on the supply of local crude will be made soon, as the Energy and Green Transition Minister works to secure both local and international crude supplies to support TOR’s operations.