The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has assured Ghanaians and industry experts that firm structures have been put in place to guarantee a steady supply of crude oil, addressing one of the key challenges that previously stalled the refinery’s operations.
Speaking on JoyNews, Corporate Affairs Officer of TOR, Godwin Mahama, said structured Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) have been signed to ensure that crude oil is consistently available to feed the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU).
“I want to assure everybody and all experts that structured MOUs have been signed to make sure that we don’t lack crude. So that at any time the CDU needs to be fed with crude, crude will be available,” he stated.
Mr Mahama acknowledged that crude supply constraints had historically been a major reason TOR struggled to operate consistently.
“Crude has always been one of the problems why TOR has not been functioning,” he said.
He explained that when the current management team, including the Deputy Managing Director, assumed office, they undertook a detailed fishbone analysis—a structured problem-solving method—to critically examine why the refinery had remained dormant for years.
“They did a critical analysis of the findings just to see why TOR has not been working and what they can do best. Part of what came out was that crude supply has always been a problem,” Mr Mahama noted.
According to him, management has now factored in those lessons and designed systems to ensure the refinery’s revival is sustainable.
“Proper structures have been put in place to make sure that the coming back of TOR will not be a one-time thing, but something that can stand the test of time,” he added.
The assurance comes on the back of TOR’s resumption of crude oil refining operations after several years of inactivity, a development widely seen as a major boost to efforts to revive Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
The refinery restarted operations following the successful completion of extensive Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) works on its CDU between August 1 and October 30, 2025. TOR says the maintenance was completed on schedule and in line with international engineering, safety and operational standards.
Subsequently, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) conducted regulatory inspections and cleared the refinery to resume operations after confirming compliance with all mandatory safety and operational requirements.
As part of a phased return to full capacity, TOR will operate in the coming months to stabilise its systems and optimise performance ahead of full recommissioning, a move management says is aimed at ensuring long-term reliability and sustainability.
The refinery has also completed the installation of a new furnace, F-61, which is expected to be commissioned soon and integrated into the CDU. Once operational, the upgrade will increase refining capacity from the current 28,000 barrels per stream day to the original 45,000 barrels per stream day, with plans to expand to 60,000 barrels per stream day in the medium term.
Government is expected to formally commission the new furnace at a later date, with TOR indicating that details will be announced in due course.
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