Ghana’s Tema Oil Refinery Restarts After Six‑Year Shutdown
After a six‑year dormancy, Ghana’s sole crude‑oil refinery, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), has roared back to life. The restart followed the completion of a three‑month Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) program on the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), carried out from 1 August to 30 October 2025.
On 19 December 2025, the CDU began processing crude, initially at about 28,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and sending all product streams to storage for the first time in years .
The successful resumption was confirmed by the state‑owned energy company BOSTenergies, which praised TOR’s leadership, technical teams, and partners for their “dedication and resilience” in reviving the facility .
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) conducted rigorous inspections and granted operational clearance after verifying that TOR met all mandatory safety and engineering standards .
A key upgrade driving the restart is the installation of the new F‑61 furnace, which is slated for commissioning soon. Once integrated, the furnace will restore TOR’s original nameplate capacity of 45,000 bpsd.
Management also plans to install an air‑cooler to push capacity even higher, targeting 60,000 bpsd in the medium term .
The revival is framed as a major boost for Ghana’s energy security. The country currently spends roughly US $10 billion annually on imported refined petroleum products, and TOR’s return is projected to slash that import bill by about US $400 million each month.
President John Dramani Mahama and Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor both hailed the restart as a milestone in the nation’s “reset agenda” and a step toward self‑reliance in fuel supply .
TOR’s Managing Director, Edmond Kombat, described the refinery’s previous condition as “dire” due to mismanagement and heavy debt.
He emphasized that the restart will create jobs, support over 1,000 employees and their dependents, and provide free medical care to staff.
The refinery will operate on a phased basis over the coming months, focusing on system stabilization, performance optimization, and long‑term reliability before a formal commissioning ceremony for the F‑61 furnace, the date of which is yet to be announced . #Ghana’s Tema Oil Refinery Restarts After Six‑Year Shutdown#
