The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is on track to resume full operations by October 2025, aiming to drastically reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported refined fuels.
In a recent briefing with Parliament’s Energy Committee, Edmund Kombat, TOR’s Acting Managing Director, revealed that Ghana currently spends about $400 million per month on fuel imports.
Once TOR is fully operational, he estimates that figure could be cut by more than half.
Kombat explained that with the refinery running, Ghana would need less than 60% of its current import expenditure to meet national fuel demand.
TOR was originally designed to refine 45,000 barrels per day (bpd), but after recent upgrades, it can now process up to 60,000 bpd.
Given that national consumption is approximately 100,000 bpd, TOR could meet between 45% and 60% of domestic needs.
He clarified that TOR’s shutdown in 2021 was not due to technical faults but rather a lack of crude oil supply.
The facility remains technically sound, having undergone multiple rounds of maintenance during the downtime.
To ensure a successful restart, TOR has established a Turnaround Maintenance Committee, led by the General Manager of Maintenance and supervised by the Deputy Managing Director. The committee meets weekly to track progress.
The refinery aims to bring its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) back online between September and October 2025. This will mark the first major operational step toward full resumption.
Kombat also acknowledged that TOR has not submitted audited financial statements since 2019.
However, external auditors are now addressing the backlog, and six years of audited reports are expected to be completed and submitted to SIGA and Parliament’s Energy Committee by next month.
Looking ahead, TOR’s plan for 2025 includes restarting its Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) by December or early 2026.
The RFCC is considered TOR’s core asset, capable of converting low-value residues into high-value products such as LPG and premium gasoline.
Kombat emphasized that restarting the CDU is more straightforward, with the RFCC restart to follow. He described the timeline as ambitious but achievable.
In closing, he appealed to Parliament for continued support, underscoring that TOR is a national asset that serves the interests of the Ghanaian people and deserves collective commitment to its revival.
