Tema Oil Refinery To Start Operations In August

Tema, - The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), currently being revamped at a cost of about 65 million dollars, is expected to start full production on August one. Mr William Parker, Chief Executive of TOR, told the GNA that the refinery would begin test runs on June 15 and this is expected to last one month. The revamping is to enable TOR to refine 45,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the previous level of 28,000 barrels per day to meet the country's fuel requirements. Funding for the project is being provided by a South Korean Consortium consisting of SAMSUNG Corporation and SUNKYONG Engineering and Construction Limited. Mr Parker said what is important is to find foreign exchange to

buy the crude since one cargo of 430,000 barrels costs approximately 11 million dollars and Ghana requires three consignments per month. Ghana has been importing refined fuel since the refinery closed down for rehabilitation at the beginning of this year.