LAGOS, Nov 12 – Benin has resumed crude oil exports for the first time in nearly three decades, with a 330,000-barrel cargo from its revived offshore Sèmè field heading to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
The tanker Kriti Jade loaded the Sèmè crude offshore Benin in early November and is bound for the Dutch port, with an estimated arrival date of November 18, according to tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
The shipment marks Benin’s return to West Africa’s oil-exporting countries following the resumption of production at offshore Block 1 earlier in 2026. The field, operated by Akrake Petroleum Benin, had been dormant since 1998.
The Sèmè field was originally discovered in 1969 and produced approximately 22 million barrels between 1982 and 1998. Production was halted amid low oil prices and declining reserves.
Its redevelopment is being undertaken by Akrake Petroleum SA, backed by Singapore-listed Rex International Holding. Operations resumed using the Stella Energy 1 mobile offshore production unit and the Kristina floating storage and offloading vessel.
Current production is approximately 3,000 barrels per day, below the project’s initial targets. The first export cargo therefore represents a modest return to production rather than a large-scale addition to regional supply.
The first cargo provides an indication of the country’s gradual re-entry into the international crude market after a prolonged period without production from the field.
