Sopuruchi Onwuka

Chevron Nigeria Limited has declared that its Awodi well busted two separate lodes offshore Western Niger Delta, discovering new hydrocarbon reservoir and extending existing one.

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A press statement made available to Oracle Intelligence did not specify the oil block hosting the oilfield, but our enquiries yielded that the well was drilled in the shallow waters offshore Western Niger Delta contiguous to the company’s operating hub in Escravos coastal area.

Chevron which operates the asset under a joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited declared that Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well encountered approximately 675 feet of hydrocarbon pay, comprising 310 feet of appraisal reservoirs and 365 feet of exploration targets across six hydrocarbon‑bearing sands.

The company said the result of the exploration drilling was in line with pre‑drill expectations, unlocking development potential.

The statement has it that the well was spud on November 30, 2025, reached a total depth of 12,420 ft MD / 11,303 ft TVD on December 16, 2025, and has now been safely plugged and suspended following completion of wireline and fluid sampling operations on December 28, 2025.

Chairman & Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria/Mid Africa Region, Jim Swartz, said, “The Awodi‑07 success demonstrates the strength of our exploration program and the value of collaboration with our senior partner, NNPCL, reinforcing the NNPCL/CNL JV’s commitment to sustaining production growth.”

Chevron’s Vice President in charge of Exploration, Kevin McLachlan, added, “This discovery comes after two recent exploration successes in Nigeria since late 2024. All three discoveries compliment Chevron’s global exploration strategy to balance infrastructure enabled and frontier activity.”

Chevron stated that the successful drilling of Awodi-07 well remains consistent with its commitment to continue developing and growing its hydrocarbon resources, including resources in the onshore and shallow water regions.

The company added that the successful drilling supports its broader global exploration strategy to find new resources that extend the life of producing assets in existing operating areas and deliver production with shorter development cycle times.

Chevron stated that it is enabled by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and ongoing industry reforms to keep advancing exploration opportunities and converting new discoveries into value for Nigeria through technology, local partnerships, and disciplined development.

“We appreciate the partnership with NNPCL and the support of our regulators. The NNPCL/CNL JV will continue to collaborate closely with the regulators and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements,” the company declared.

Industry experts who spoke to Oracle Intelligence on the Awodi-07 drilling results pointed out that the discoveries plug directly into pan-industry efforts to meet the million-barrel production growth mandate on the upstream petroleum industry.

The Awodi-07 discoveries, according to them, would command new investments that extend asset life, generate value faster, and help Nigeria recover its oil production capacity and meet national economic aspirations.

A leading industry geologist said the discoveries would help slow natural production decline, keep existing facilities economically viable and strengthen the case for further appraisal drilling and phased development rather than abrupt asset abandonment.