The Niger-Benin crude pipeline is a 1,980km cross-border crude oil pipeline under development between Niger and Benin, in Africa. It will connect the Agadem Rift Basin (ARB) region in Niger to Port Seme Terminal in the Republic of Benin. It will have a capacity of 90,000 barrels per day (bpd).
Savannah Petroleum, an oil and gas company based in London, holds the R1/R2 and R3/R4 Agadem Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), which cover approximately 50% of the ARB.
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is the Niger-Benin crude pipeline developer and operator. The projec represents the company’s biggest cross-border crude oil pipeline investment till date.
CNPC received upstream approval for the project from the Republic of Niger in June 2018 and subsequently signed the construction and operation agreement with the Government of Benin in August 2019.
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The Niger-Benin crude pipeline project is a 1,980km cross-border pipeline connecting Niger’s Agadem Rift Basin to the Port of Seme export terminal in the Republic of Benin. Image courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China.
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China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is developing the Niger-Benin crude pipeline. Image courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China.
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The Port of Cotonou in Benin will see an increase in traffic with the construction of the Niger-Benin export pipeline. Image courtesy of Fawaz.tairou.
Construction works, involving the surface infrastructure works, on the project began in September 2019. The pipeline is scheduled to be commissioned in 2021. It is being constructed along with the second phase development of the Agadem oilfield.
The project, along with the two-phased Agadem oilfield development, will have a total output of more than 5.5 million tons (Mt).
Niger-Benin crude pipeline details
The Niger-Benin crude pipeline project, which represents phase two of the Agadem oilfield development, involves the construction of a new pipeline and associated facilities. It wil feature a single point mooring system, which is expected to export 4.5Mtpa of crude oil.
The total length of the new pipeline will be 1,950km, out of which roughly 1,275km will run through Niger’s territory, while the remaining 675km portion will be in the Republic of Benin.
The project will also comprise nine intermediate stations before terminating at the Port of Seme. It will be capable of delivering up to 90,000bpd of crude oil to the Port Seme export terminal located on the Atlantic Coast in Benin.
Construction of the project is expected to generate additional traffic to the Port of Cotonou in Benin. The port is expected to process up to 300,000 tonnes (t) of goods, once the pipeline becomes operational.
Agadem Rift Basin development details
A joint venture led by CNPC is developing the Agadem basin, in which CNPC made 110 discoveries from 137 exploration wells.
The Agadem PSC area is being developed in two phases, with the first phase development located adjacent to Savannah permit areas.
Oil production from the Agadem block, which was the first phase of the development, began in November 2011. The oil is exported to CNPC’s Zinder oil refining facility in southern Niger. The facility currently produces petrol, diesel, and LPG products for domestic consumption.
The Agadem field is connected to a nearby refinery at Zinder via an approximately 13-inch diameter and 462.5km-long existing pipeline. It also comprises seven stations, which include three heating stations, three clean-up stations, and a terminating station.