Dangote Refinery has ordered at least 5 million barrels of U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for July to sustain operations, following a record 300,000 bpd booked for June. The 650,000 bpd-capacity plant is set to import around 161,000 bpd next month, with potential for more purchases. The move underscores rising competition among oil exporters as OPEC+ boosts output and U.S. crude faces pricing pressure in Asian markets.
Vitol, Socar, and Glencore will supply 5 million barrels of U.S. crude to Dangote Refinery for July. June suppliers remain unconfirmed. April saw a record 173,000 bpd in U.S. imports. Dangote’s Edwin Devakumar said limited local supply makes imports necessary.Dangote Refinery primarily uses Nigerian crude but has been regularly importing U.S. WTI since March 2024, along with spot cargoes from Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Algeria, and Brazil in 2025, according to Kpler.
Industry monitor IIR reports the refinery will operate at reduced capacity until October due to recent challenges. A spokesperson said the plant is now ramping up toward 85% capacity, after running at about 80% since mid-March.
