The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced the export of a new crude oil grade, Cawthorne, in a move aimed at boosting Nigeria’s crude output and strengthening its footprint in the global oil market.
The national oil company disclosed on Tuesday that the maiden cargo of the new blend was successfully shipped to Europe, signalling what industry observers describe as a renewed push to diversify Nigeria’s crude export streams and improve revenue generation.
In a statement, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, said the first cargo of the Cawthorne blend was lifted on April 5, 2026, aboard the MT Eburones vessel en route to the Netherlands.
The statement read, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced export of its new crude grade, Cawthorne, marking a significant milestone in the company’s drive to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and expand its portfolio of globally competitive export streams
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced the export of a new crude oil grade, Cawthorne, in a move aimed at boosting Nigeria’s crude output and strengthening its footprint in the global oil market.
The national oil company disclosed on Tuesday that the maiden cargo of the new blend was successfully shipped to Europe, signalling what industry observers describe as a renewed push to diversify Nigeria’s crude export streams and improve revenue generation.
In a statement, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, said the first cargo of the Cawthorne blend was lifted on April 5, 2026, aboard the MT Eburones vessel en route to the Netherlands.
The statement read, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced export of its new crude grade, Cawthorne, marking a significant milestone in the company’s drive to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and expand its portfolio of globally competitive export streams.“Cawthorne blend crude, the latest addition to Nigeria’s basket of crude grades, has an API gravity of 36.4, placing it firmly within the light, sweet category, comparable to Bonny Light, and highly valued in the global market for its superior petrol and diesel yields.
“NNPC Ltd confirms that on Sunday, April 5, 2026, the Cawthorne blend crude, which was loaded on the MT Eburones vessel, is headed to the Netherlands and onward to the global market.”
Odeh noted that the maiden cargo, estimated at 950,000 barrels, was exported through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading vessel located offshore Bonny, Rivers State