The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is set to begin exports of a new light, sweet crude grade known as Cawthorne in March, signalling continued recovery in output from Africa’s largest oil producer.
A company spokesperson confirmed that the new stream forms part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to boost crude production, which has faced persistent setbacks from pipeline vandalism, crude theft and operational disruptions.
New Grade to Support Output Growth
Cawthorne crude is scheduled for export in the third week of March, according to a source familiar with the development. The grade has an API gravity of 36.4, classifying it as light and sweet, a quality comparable to Bonny Light, which is valued for its strong yields of petrol and diesel.
Last week, NNPCL issued a tender for cargo loading between March 24 and 25, a trader disclosed.
The crude will be exported through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel, which has a storage capacity of approximately 2.2 million barrels. The facility is expected to improve evacuation efficiency from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 and surrounding assets in the Eastern Niger Delta.
Production Impact
Energy analytics firm Kpler estimates that the additional stream could raise Nigeria’s combined crude and condensate production from around 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) to roughly 1.7 million bpd for the remainder of the year, based on current storage and evacuation capacity.
Nigeria’s crude production quota under the OPEC+ framework stands at 1.5 million bpd. January output was reported at 1.48 million bpd, according to data from OPEC.
Expanding Export Portfolio
The launch of Cawthorne follows the introduction of other new grades in recent years, including Obodo in 2025 and Utapate in 2024. These additions reflect NNPCL’s ongoing efforts to diversify export streams, strengthen output stability and reinforce Nigeria’s position within the OPEC alliance.
As production gradually improves, market participants will watch how the new grade contributes to export volumes and overall revenue performance in the coming months.