Crude deliveries to the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery fell by approximately 16.85% in November, based on updated tanker movement data.
Tracking from Argus shows the refinery received around 370,000 b/d in November, compared with 445,000 b/d in October. Average receipts from January to November stood at about 420,000 b/d.
Receipts started slowly earlier in the month and dropped again during the final week. Three tankers — Gem, Captain Michael and Barbarosa — discharged cargoes near the plant’s single-point moorings. Deliveries count only after vessels leave berth and show a confirmed draught change.
The refinery began receiving crude intermittently in late 2023, before steady deliveries started in March 2024. Since then, it surpassed its initial operating target of 350,000 b/d, although output still sits below full design capacity.
Nigerian Grades Dominated November Shipments
Nigeria supplied about 340,000 b/d of the total inflow, including Utapate, Bonny Light, Qua Iboe, Forcados and Amenam. Ghana supplied 30,000 b/d of Sankofa crude, marking only the second delivery of that grade after August.
No U.S. WTI shipment arrived — the first month without one since February.
Sankofa has a 28.9° API, making it heavier than the refinery’s usual slate. However, the refinery has processed similar heavier grades from Brazil and Angola. Of local crudes, only Nembe aligns closely in quality, and the refinery lifted it once — in January.
A very large crude carrier (VLCC) carrying Brass River also delivered in November. This was only the second Brass-loaded VLCC delivery out of 25 VLCC shipments handling Nigerian crude this year.
Supply Momentum Improving Toward December
Shipment activity appears to be rising again. Current vessel traffic near the refinery includes tankers loaded with Qua Iboe, Escravos and Brass River. At the current pace, the refinery receives roughly one tanker every three days.
Crude Quality Slightly Heavier Month-on-Month
Dangote processed crude with an average specification of 35.5° API and 0.2% sulphur in November. October’s mix was lighter at 38.6° API, though sulphur content remained the same.
Across the first 11 months of 2025, crude receipts averaged 36.9° API and 0.2% sulphur, slightly above the 36.2° APIprojection for March–December 2024.