Nghi Son refinery processes first non-Kuwaiti crude cargo

On January 14, Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC (NSRP) announced it had successfully received and processed its first non-Kuwaiti crude oil cargo, marking a major operational milestone for the refinery.

The shipment, comprising around one million barrels of Das Blend crude oil, arrived at NSRP on December 23 and was processed through the refinery by January 12 after completing safety, marine, and technical checks, in line with established operational standards.

Under its 2026 operating plan, NSRP expects to import nearly 12.5 million tonnes of crude oil and produce close to 9 million tonnes of petroleum products for the domestic market. To support stable operations at around 120 per cent of the refinery’s original design capacity, NSRP is gradually introducing alternative crude oil feedstocks in appropriate volumes, alongside its long-term supply of Kuwaiti crudes – including Kuwait Export Crude under Crude Oil Supply Agreement (COSA).

Das Blend, a crude oil with favourable refining characteristics such as higher yields of light and middle distillates and lower residue production, was selected as part of NSRP’s strategy to process 10–12 million barrels of additional new crude oil annually in combination with Kuwaiti crudes or equivalent medium crudes, particularly during specific operating periods such as catalyst change-outs in the Residue Hydro-De-Sulfurisation unit.

This controlled technical evaluation was conducted on top of NSRP’s committed COSA volumes and is intended to complement the anchor role of Kuwaiti crudes. This effort was implemented with the support of all NSRP sponsors – Kuwait Petroleum Europe B.V, Idemitsu Kosan, PetroVietnam, and Mitsui Chemicals – reaffirming their commitment to NSRP’s safe and sustainable operations.

“Processing our first non-Kuwaiti crude underscores NSRP’s operational strength and adaptability,” said Kazutaka Yamato, general director of NSRP. “It also reflects the continued support of our sponsors and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation in strengthening Vietnam’s long-term energy security.”

Looking ahead, NSRP will continue to explore technical opportunities to optimise performance while maintaining its strong partnership framework and commitment to safe, reliable operations.

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