Nigeria’s offshore Usan oilfield is expected to come on stream in April, potentially pushing the African producer’s crude oil exports above 2 million barrels per day (bpd) again, traders said on Friday.
“We heard it will become available in April. We are just waiting for the loading programme,” one trader said.
The operator of the field is French major Total. The company was not immediately available to comment.
The quality of Usan crude is expected to be heavier and higher in acidity than most other Nigerian crude.
The export volume is expected to total about 4-5 cargoes per month or about 130,000-160,000 barrels per day (bpd).
Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and an OPEC member. Its crude oil exports, excluding condensate, have fallen below 2 million bpd since October last year.
