The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and its Joint Venture partner in the Awoba Unit Field, Newcross Exploration and Production Ltd., have resumed production crude oil in Awoba Field, River State, for the first time since 2021.
Olufemi Soneye, the spokesperson for the NNPC, made this disclosure in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
The statement noted that the Awoba field last produced oil for the Bonny Terminal in 2021 and was ultimately shut down in February 2022 due to problems with evacuation and crude oil theft.
Soneye mentioned that since the reactivation of the Awoba field by NNPC Ltd and its partners on April 13, 2024, the field’s production has averaged 8,000 barrels per day.
Moreover, he said that the field is anticipated to reach a steady output of 12,000 barrels per day once fully ramped up within 30 days.
According to Soneye, Awoba is also expected to significantly boost gas supply to the power sector and other gas-based industries.
Speaking further, NNPC noted that the firm has been recording a string of production successes from the JV portfolio which have significantly lifted overall national production.
The oil company revealed that in addition to the recent initiation of production at the Madu Field by the NNPC Ltd/First E&P JV, it has successfully resumed production at OMLs 29 and OML 18 in late 2023, which have consistently added an average of 60,000 barrels per day to the national production output since their restart.