Crude oil refinery for Walvis Bay out of the blocks by March 2018

Thompson Kagan Africa Holdings (TKAH), an energy group that specialises in the acquisition and global movement of crude oil and gas, announced this week its intention to establish Namibia’s first oil refinery in Walvis Bay. The project is expected to begin as early as 2018 with its first phase at a price tag of N$3,5 billion.
A company by the name of Baker Development of businessman Neville Baker, which also envisages the Bakerville housing development east of the dune belt, is the concept developer.
TKAH is a Namibian registered firm and will soon open its head office in Windhoek for the operations and administration and to manage and coordinate the development plan, explained Brent Thompson, the Director of Thompson Kegan Africa Holdings, during the launch of the project in Swakopmund this week.
According to Thompson, TKAH is an international leader in oil refineries and petroleum services. He continued: “We are looking at many other development opportunities to make Namibia an export nation of about 25 000 barrels of refined oil [and by-products] per day during the first phase. Future growth and expansion may bring this to about 100 000 barrels production capacity per day. We want these products to be made in Namibia, by the Namibian people”.
Thompson further explained the project will consist of a crude oil refinery, fuel storage, fuel pipeline and downstream petroleum products like light crude, petrol and diesel and other various refined products. As mentioned earlier, the anticipated initial production capacity is 25 000 barrels per day.
“Funds are already secured. Namibia is a strategically located country with economic- and political stability. It brings about investor confidence.
He also further said the funds made available for the first phase of refinery is 260 million US Dollars (N$3,5 billion). “The refinery will reshuffle the oil industry of Southern Africa, says Thompson.
According to Thompson, the refinery will not only serve a new manufacturing base and industrial development of Walvis Bay, but the company also aims to assist with the servicing of 15 000 low cost erven to assist alleviating the housing shortage and to uplift the local communities. The company also wants to assist with the construction of research infrastructure for the contemplated University of Namibia Mining and Research Campus at Arandis.
An estimated 2 700 temporary jobs will be created for the construction phase.
The land where the refinery will be situated was secured by Baker Development Pty Ltd. Thompson acknowledged Mr. Neville Baker for his efforts to bring this development to Namibia. A total of 200 hectares of land for the refinery was secured between the Walvis Bay Airport and Swartkoppies.
The development can be out of the blocks by March 2018.
The Governor of Erongo Region, Clr. Cleophas Mutjavikua was invited for the launching ceremony and said this development comes as a result of efforts by President Dr. Hage Geingob. The Governor also outlined the importance of oil for Namibia, the local industrial capacity it can create as well as the opportunity to make Namibia the largest oil refiner in SADC.