Dangote Refinery may have to shut its Gasoline unit for 2-3 months for repairs according to a Reuters report citing industry monitor IIR Energy.
According to the report, the continuous closure of the unit, which has been shut since around August 29 after catalyst leaks, could lead to a tighter gasoline market.
The refinery plans to attempt to restart the 204,000 bpd Residue Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU) on September 20, but major repairs and equipment replacement could keep the unit shut for months, IIR Energy said.
The Dangote refinery, which began processing crude in January 2024, has slashed the Europe to West gasoline export trade significantly with EU and UK gasoline exports to Nigeria falling from an average of about 200,000 bpd in 2024 to about 120,000 bpd in the first half of this year, according to Kpler data.
It has also shipped two gasoline cargoes to the U.S. East Coast, expected to arrive in the New York area later this month, a major milestone as industry observers were closely tracking if and when the plant would produce fuel meeting U.S. standards.
