Green Energy International Exports First Crude from Nigeria’s First Indigenous Onshore Terminal in 50 Years
Lagos/Nigeria– June 19, 2025 – In a historic milestone for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, Green Energy International Limited (GEIL) has successfully exported the first crude cargo from its newly constructed Otakikpo Onshore Terminal – the first indigenous crude oil terminal to be built in Nigeria in over five decades.
Located in OML 11 near Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Otakikpo Terminal marks a new era for Nigeria’s marginal fields by enabling efficient storage and export of crude, drastically reducing operational costs and unlocking new investment opportunities across the upstream sector.
The terminal’s development and first crude lifting, which occurred in June 2025, comes just two years after GEIL broke ground on the project in February 2023.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) has praised GEIL for its leadership, vision, and swift execution of the project, noting the terminal’s vital role in boosting local production and enhancing crude export infrastructure.
“GEIL is not only setting a strong benchmark for other independent operators in Nigeria but serves as a testament to the central role indigenous energy companies play in the country’s oil and gas sector,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.
Key Highlights of the Otakikpo Onshore Terminal Project
First cargo lifted in June 2025 via a Shell-chartered vessel
Initial production from GEIL’s Otakikpo marginal field currently averages 5,000
barrels per day (bpd), with regulatory approval to scale up to 30,000 bpd
Storage capacity of 750,000 barrels, with plans to expand to 3 million barrels
Export pipeline: 23-km, 20-inch pipeline connected to a single point mooring system in the Atlantic Ocean
Export capacity of up to 360,000 bpd, with potential to receive 250,000 bpd from third-party producers
Previously reliant on barges and floating production systems, GEIL now expects to cut operational costs by 40% through the terminal’s streamlined export process.
Catalyzing Growth in Nigeria’s Marginal Fields
The Otakikpo Terminal is set to play a transformative role in Nigeria’s marginal field ecosystem.
It will enable stranded reserves from over 40 marginal fields across the region to be monetized more efficiently, improving investor confidence and supporting the country’s broader ambition to achieve 2 million bpd in crude production.
The development follows the 2020 marginal field bid round, which attracted 591 companies, with 161 indigenous operators eventually shortlisted to develop 57 fields.
Coupled with improved fiscal terms under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, GEIL’s project demonstrates the growing capacity and impact of Nigerian-led oil ventures.
A New Chapter for Indigenous Energy Leadership
GEIL’s successful delivery of the Otakikpo Terminal reflects the growing sophistication of Nigerian oil firms in project delivery, innovation, and value creation.
“By establishing a domestic solution for producing, storing, and exporting crude, GEIL is supporting marginal field production while laying the foundation for more efficient oil operations,” added Ayuk.
The project is widely viewed as a model for future developments aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s energy independence and economic diversification.
