• As Eni posts 20% output growth at Abo

Sopuruchi Onwuka

Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry regulator and administrator of oil licenses, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has restated its commitment to providing stable operating environment for commercial players in the sector.

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Commission Chief Executive (CCE), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, who hosted a delegation from Eni’s affiliates in Nigeria made it clear that government remains unwavering in driving regulatory efficiency, fostering investment growth, and ensuring a stable, secure operating environment for operators.

He said the visit underscores the growing optimism within the industry as Nigeria pursues its production target of 3.0 million barrels per day (mbd); noting that activity has picked up in the industry following a long period of lull.

With improving rig count, he pointed out, Engr Komolafe stated that other activities indicate uptick towards achieving the government’s mandate on the industry to rapidly boost output from onshore and offshore locations.

He added that reducing vandalism incidents by 90% helped improve activity uptime and efficiency across activity areas.

“This, coupled with near-full capacity utilization at Nigeria LNG Train 6 and efforts to fully optimise Train 7, signals sustained momentum in the sector,” the commission declared in a statememt.

The CCE commended ENI for its continued confidence in Nigeria and reiterated the Commission’s dedication to sustaining reforms that support investment growth.

The Italian Eni which operates with its local Agip affiliates in Nigeria applauded the improvements which enabled Nigeria Agip Exploration (NAE) boost output from operated deepwater Abo field by 20 percent.

Oracle Intelligence reports that the Abo field is the first to start production from Nigeria’s deepwater terrain, and its ability to improve output by 20 percent points to the resilience of the asset which is located in OML 125.

Eni’s subsidiary, Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE), operates the field under a production sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and Oando Energy Resources (OER).

Head of Media and Strategic Communications at the NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, stated that the meeting focused on deepening collaboration to boost production, investment confidence and operational efficiency in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector.

He said the upstream petroleum industry has seen great improvement on reduced vandalism, improved asset security, and enhanced operational capacity, particularly in deepwater operations.

Director Upstream at Eni, Mr. Luca Vignati, noted the positive shift in Nigeria’s operating environment, saying, “Nigeria’s production landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last 18 to 24 months. This is a credit to the authorities for providing an enabling environment, and to international oil companies that have recognized the opportunity to operate more efficiently. Contrary to popular perception, international companies are not leaving Nigeria they are simply moving further into deepwater operations.”

“For the first time in decades, ENI is producing above budget in Nigeria, with a 20% increase at the Abo asset. This is a clear sign of improved operational stability, reduced vandalism, and growing investor confidence in the country’s upstream sector,” he stated.