Nigeria's 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery looks set to receive its first cargo of WTI crude early next month, slightly later than market participants had expected.

Tracking data from oil analytics firm Kpler show the very large crude carrier Gem No.1 is due to arrive at Lagos with a 2mn bl cargo of WTI on 2 March, having loaded two 700,000 bl parcels via ship-to-ship (STS) transfer on 6-7 February and a 601,000 bl parcel off the US Gulf Coast on 9 February.

Late last month, market participants said the Dangote refinery had bought a 2mn bl cargo of WTI from trading firm Trafigura for delivery in late February.

It will be the first overseas cargo delivered to the refinery since it began receiving crude in early December last year.

February deliveries to Dangote include 4mn bl of Nigerian crude from state-owned NNPC. According to an NNPC document seen by Argus, Dangote will receive one cargo each of very light grade Amenam and light sweet Qua Iboe, Bonny Light and CJ Blend this month.

Besides the WTI, March receipts will include 4mn bl of Nigerian crude from NNPC, including two 650,000 bl cargoes of CJ Blend, according to market sources.

Dangote began producing middle distillates a month ago, but gasoline production is unlikely in the near term, according to sources.

The refinery's motor spirit block — which encompasses a naphtha hydrotreater, catalytic reformer and isomerisation unit — is yet to start, according to one source, while blending component offers have so far been declined by Dangote on the basis that it was too early for gasoline production at the site, another market participant said.