Nigeria's NNPC to Export New Cawthorne Crude
Analysis based on 20 articles · First reported Feb 24, 2026 · Last updated Feb 24, 2026
The introduction of Cawthorne crude is expected to boost Nigeria's crude oil production and export capacity, leading to increased foreign exchange earnings and government revenue for Nigeria. This development could also influence global oil supply dynamics and potentially lead to a higher production quota for Nigeria within OPEC.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation===NNPC Limited (NNPC) is set to begin exporting a new light, sweet crude grade called Cawthorne from March 2026. This initiative is part of Nigeria's broader strategy to increase crude oil production, which has been constrained by pipeline vandalism and theft. Cawthorne crude, with an API gravity of 36.4, is similar in quality to Bonny Light oil and is valued for its high yields of gasoline and diesel. Exports are scheduled for the third week of March via the Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel Cawthorne, which has a capacity of 2.2 million barrels. Analysts at Kpler estimate that this new grade could increase Nigeria's crude and condensate output from approximately 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) to around 1.7 million bpd for the remainder of the year. Nigeria, currently pumping close to its OPEC+ quota of 1.5 million bpd, is also seeking a higher production target within the producer group.
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