Keen on optimising production from the nation’s hydrocarbon assets to boost revenues and meet the nation’s OPEC production quota, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and its Joint Venture partner in the Awoba Unit Field, Newcross, have restarted production from the Awoba field in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, targeting over 12,000 barrels Per day (bpd) crude oil.
Production from the oil field recommended barely two years after the facility was shut down over persistent evacuation challenges and crude oil theft.
In a statement released on Tuesday, by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC, Olufemi Soneye, they disclosed that after the oil field was reopened, production from the facility has been on averaged at 8,000bpd.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mele Kyari, ascribed the achievement to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s success in providing enabling operating environment for businesses to thrive.
He expressed appreciation to all stakeholders (staff, operators, host communities, government security agencies, and private security contractors) who played a pivotal role in achieving the feat.
According to the statement, “Since the restart of the Awoba field by NNPC Ltd and it partners on April 13, 2024; production from the field has averaged 8,000 barrels per day and is expected to plateau at 12,000 per day at full ramp up within 30 days. Awoba is also expected to significantly boost gas supply to the power sector and other gas-based industries.
“The Awoba Unit which straddles OMLs 18 and 24 is located in the mangrove swamp south of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Both OML 18 and OML 24 assets are under the management of the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS).
“NNPC Ltd. has been recording a string of production successes from the JV portfolio which have significantly lifted overall national production. Besides the recent start of production at the Madu Field by the NNPC Ltd/First E&P JV, the company has achieved the restart of production at OMLs 29 and OML 18 in late 2023 which have steadily contributed an average of 60,000bpd to the nation’s production output since their restart”.
