The FSO Cawthorne is expected to support production of 50,000 barrels per day.
by Blue Africa News
In a significant move intended to ramp up oil and gas production, State owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Sahara Group, Eroton E&P, and Bilton Energy Limited in early October unveiled Nigeria’s first wholly owned 2.2-million-barrel capacity Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel near Bonny export terminal.
Christened Cawthorne, the companies said the vessel is a world-class facility designed to enhance crude evacuation from Nigeria’s OML 18, an oil producing block covering over 1,000 square kilometres, located south of Port Harcourt.
According to the firms, the vessel is the first crude oil terminal to be commissioned in the West African country in 50 years.
“This is another bold achievement from the partnership between NNPC and its partners that will guarantee seamless operations and bolster the strategic targets set by President Bola Tinubu towards ensuring optimised upstream production in Nigeria,” noted Udobong Ntia, NNPC Executive Vice President.
Tosin Etomi, Head of Commercial and Planning at Asharami Energy, a Sahara Group upstream company noted that Cawthorne FSO stands as a symbol of innovation meeting necessity.
“It is not just a vessel,” he said, adding that, “It’s an assurance of continuity, reliability, and value creation for our partners, our nation, and our people. This collaboration with the NNPC and other stakeholders embodies the drive to turn complex energy challenges into sustainable solutions that power progress across Africa.”
The ultramodern vessel is fitted with digital capabilities seeking to drive operational flexibility, reducing carbon exposure from barge movements and enhancing overall evacuation safety in Nigeria, the leading African crude oil producer.
“The commissioning of FSO Cawthorne reaffirms Sahara Group’s and indeed OML 18 partners’ commitment to powering progress responsibly through partnerships, innovation, and infrastructure that strengthen Africa’s energy independence,” added Etomi.
The double-hull vessel was converted from a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). It will receive, store, and offload crude oil to export tankers, addressing long-standing logistical constraints such as delays in ship-to-ship transfers.
Experts termed the launch as a step in the right direction, as Nigeria moves toward reducing reliance on traditional pipeline infrastructure.
“The FSO Cawthorne isn’t just hardware, it’s a statement of national capacity and logistical resilience,” said Emmanuel Idogho, a Nigerian Engineering Growth Specialist in a LinkedIn post.
“By reducing reliance on traditional pipeline infrastructure, the vessel addresses long-standing operational challenges including limited barge capacity, shallow berths, and delays in ship-to-ship transfers. The deployment also aims to curtail oil theft and vandalism—persistent challenges in Nigeria’s oil-producing regions,” added Noah Ajare, renewable energy, oil and gas enthusiast.
The FSO Cawthorne is expected to support OML 18’s 2025 production target of 50,000 barrels per day.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News