SONARA invests FCFA 620B into petroleum production

The National Oil Refinery, known by its French Acronym as SONARA, is currently investing FCFA 620 billion to facilitate the refining of locally produced crude oil and step up the production of petroleum products in the country.

This is the revelation made in Yaounde, August 19, at the opening ceremony of the third edition of the Government Action Forum, known by its French acronym as SAGO.

Briefing the Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, journalists and other members of the public who visited the SONARA stand, the Head of the Communication and Translation Division at SONARA, Blasius Ngome, stated that the investment by the refinery is one of the highest in the country.

“One of the main advantages is that when this investment is done, SONARA would be able to refine between 70 & 100 percent of crude oil produced in Cameroon.

Presently, SONARA refines barely 10 percent of the petrol produced in the country. We buy petrol from Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria because the kind of crude oil we need today is the lighter type of crude oil which is not presently produced in Cameroon,” Ngome explained.

Ngome further pointed out that such a forum which brings together people from various walks of life would be necessary for them to give further explanation to the public and people specialised in certain domains like the petroleum and mining sectors on the activities of the refinery.

To him, they chose to edify the masses on their activities because; there is the tendency for people to think they know so much about the company, whereas their knowledge is limited to the name, the location and the logo. Thus, they are present to showcase the activities of SONARA and its interior successes as far as investment is concerned.

Asked why the company decided to sponsor the gathering, the official held that the company was supporting the action of the Government, which is the biggest shareholder in SONARA, possessing 82 percent of shares.

The rest is owned by a foreign petrol company called Total d’Outre Mer, he revealed. Another reason is the philosophy of the General Manager, Talba Malla, which postulates that everything which is good for the Government of Cameroon and the youth, is good for him, reasons why the company decided not only to attend but sponsor the forum organised by the young people.

Extension and Modernisation of SONARA Since 2010, SONARA has embarked on the extension and modernisation of its installations. At the strategic level; this project is intended to maximise the use of crude oil produced in Cameroon. Economically, the project aims at reaching a critical size in order to improve the using of all units in the refinery.

On the marketing side, the project’s aim is to maximise production of certain products, namely; diesel and kerosene (jet aircraft fuel & kerosene), which are high in demand on the Cameroonian and regional markets. The surplus quantities are intended for the export market in the CEMAC zone, the West African Coast and the USA. The characteristics of these products are identical to those of the local market.

Benefits of the Project The project would be of great benefit to the institution as it allows for the production capacity to rise from 2,100,000 tons to 3,500,000 tons. The domestic market is satisfied. SONARA will, therefore, further develop its market shares for export with a priority in our hinterland. It also gives the refinery flexibility in the management of production.

It will give the company the ability to all types of crude oil, particularly crude produced in Cameroon and the number of trucks to be loaded per day will increase, thanks to the construction of an additional loading block and improved measuring equipment. The safety of facilities and the running of the units will be significantly enhanced through the digital system and the blast proof control room.

On the environment side, the modernisation of the refinery will reduce polluting gas emissions and the expansion and modernisation of the water treatment plants will help obtain water discharge that meets specifications. On the social level, it will create jobs and specialties, transfer of technology, sustainability of the refinery and energy self-sufficiency.

Reactions of Visitors to the Stand The SONARA stand was one of the focal points at the forum as a cross section of visitors, still had the issue of increase in the price of petroleum products looming large on their minds. After visiting the stand and listening to the presentations, their doubts were cleared and they can edify others back in the neighbourhoods.

Christian Mbappe, one of the visitors intimated: “Before visiting this stand, I was asking myself why SONARA had a deficit and why prices of petroleum products had increased in the country.

I equally doubted what the common man would benefit from visiting the stand. After listening to the presentation made today at the stand, my doubts have been cleared. I know now that the company buys the lighter type of crude oil to meet up with the consumption of the domestic population and sells our own oil abroad, while waiting to take the necessary steps to make life easier for us back home.”

Michael Foba, on his part, holds that before visiting the stand, he wanted to know why in every discussion on the increase in prices of petroleum products in the country, they always say the fuel we use is bought from abroad, whereas we are a petrol producer. After visiting the stand, he is satisfied and he can better explain to his mates who did not visit the stand the measures SONARA is putting in place.

Making a balance sheet of the Yaounde outing, an intern and facilitator at the stand, Ericka Meli Ngaffo, said their main aim at this first participation was to enlighten the public on the activities of the company and the new project on the extension and modernisation of SONARA. At the end of the forum, she believes they met their objectives.

“When one looks at the visitors’ register, one would discover that many people were satisfied by the presentations and explanations given. We had over 310 registered visitors and many others who did not register their names. I humbly believe that it was a success”, she stated.

The three day forum characterised by expositions of various companies taking part, conferences, exchange of ideas and creation of partnerships was a suitable platform for SONARA to showcase her commitment in making Cameroon a living heaven and her determination to accompany Cameroon in her vision geared towards emergence come 2035.

The SAGO, it should be noted, is an annual event sponsored by SONARA and Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, geared towards creating more visibility for the actions of the public sector and encouraging private/public sector partnership.