Sangomar crude: SAR reports a 50% yield at the refining stage

The African Refining Company (SAR) is technically capable of processing crude oil from the Sangomar field, but its current facilities do not yet allow for optimal yield. This was explained by Mohamed Seck, a downstream oil expert, during the Seneweb Eco program on Sunday, August 16, 2026.

From a technical standpoint, an experiment conducted by SAR confirmed that the company "can process this crude oil." However, the issue of yield remains a major challenge. "When we talk about crude oil, we're talking about yield," Mohamed Seck emphasized. The Sangomar crude oil does indeed pose a particular difficulty for the refinery's current facilities. "When SAR processed this Sangomar crude, it achieved a 50% yield. This Sangomar product contains a significant amount of fuel oil," the oil company representative explained.

Under these conditions, refining local crude is not yet the most economically advantageous option. "As I speak to you now, it is more beneficial for Senegal, for SAR, to import finished products than to process this crude from Sangomar," he maintained. The second vice-president of the National Confederation of Employers of Senegal (CNES) nevertheless considers refining domestic crude a strategic guarantee for the country. "It is a guarantee, a security to process the crude," he insisted, particularly in the event of disruptions to international supplies.

The second refinery to reach a new milestone

This situation is expected to change with the planned second refinery, part of the SAR transformation. Mohamed Seck believes that the increased capacity will also allow the facilities to be adapted to Senegalese crude oil. "We are going to increase refining capacity, from 1,500,000 tons to 5,500,000 tons," he stated. This new capacity should add approximately four million tons to the current capacity.

For Mohamed Seck, the stakes are even higher given that national consumption exceeds current refining capacity. "Senegal's need is 3 million tons per year. Currently, we're at 1,500,000 tons," he explained, emphasizing that a significant portion of this need must therefore be met through imports of refined products. The new refinery should also allow Senegal to take a technological leap forward. "We're going to increase refining capacity, but we're also going to upgrade our technical capabilities," the oil executive stated.