Tema Oil Refinery Denies Shutdown Claims; to Boost Crude Output to 45,000 Bpsd
The management of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has dismissed claims that the facility has halted operations due to insufficient government funding, describing such reports as inaccurate.
Speaking to Citi Business News on Friday, February 20, 2026, TOR’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Godwin Mahama Ayaba, said the refinery is entering the second phase of its operational ramp-up following a successful test run after years of dormancy.
According to Mr. Ayaba, TOR is preparing to integrate the F-61 furnace with the existing F-1 furnace to power the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), a move expected to increase output from 28,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) to 45,000 bpsd.
“Technically, that preparation cannot be done while operations are ongoing. The tie-in requires a temporary pause in operations to safely execute the integration. That is what engineering protocols dictate, and that is the process we are following,” he explained.
Mr. Ayaba highlighted that caution is critical given the F-61 furnace’s previous explosion in 2017. “Bringing the furnace back online demands strict adherence to engineering standards to prevent a recurrence of the 2017 incident,” he said.
He added that Vega Engineering, the Italian firm that constructed the F-61 furnace, must supervise its commissioning before handing over operations to TOR’s internal engineers.
“All preparations are ongoing to bring the F-61 into full operation so that we can achieve the targeted 45,000 bpsd, up from the current 28,000,” Mr. Ayaba noted.
Reiterating TOR’s position, he emphasized that the refinery’s current operational posture is not due to maintenance, technical faults, or funding shortages.
“The narrative suggesting lack of investment, insufficient funds, technical challenges, or maintenance issues does not reflect the reality on the ground,” he concluded.
