Nigerian crude oil exports to edge higher in February

Nigeria’s crude oil exports are on track to edge higher in February, due in part to deferred January cargoes, loading program compiled by Reuters showed on Wednesday.

According to Reuters’ report, the loading program of 1.62 million barrels per day (bpd) on 50 cargoes comes despite only three cargoes of Bonga crude being planned, compared with seven in January.

Traders said the field has planned maintenance in the second half of the month. Field operator Shell did not immediately respond to a query about maintenance plans.

Much of the gain is from cargoes that were meant to load earlier, with several ExxonMobil-operated crude oil grades having been delayed by a strike by workers in December.

The original export plans for both January and December had been higher than the February program, but both fell short of the plans because of delays and, in the case of December, the cancellation of Forcados cargoes after attacks on the export pipeline.