Nigeria has commissioned its first wholly owned Floating Storage and Offloading vessel near its Bonny export terminal, according to Reuters.
- The converted VLCC is designed to receive, store, and offload crude oil to export tankers to help ease long-standing logistical constraints.
- The oil producer seeks to improve crude export infrastructure with the 2.2mbbl capacity FSO reducing reliance on pipelines and helping to mitigate risks from oil theft and vandalism.
- The FSO Cawthorne aims to boost crude oil transportation and production from Oil Mining Lease 18 and the Eastern Niger Delta.
- The vessel would help reduce carbon exposure from barge movements and enhance evacuation safety, said Tosin Etomi at Asharami Energy, a Sahara Group company.