ExxonMobil's $1bn Usan Infill Project Kicks Off in Niger Delta
The Noble Gerry de Souza drillship has arrived in Nigerian waters to begin deepwater drilling operations expected to add 40,000 barrels daily within 18 months.
The ultra-deepwater drilling vessel Noble Gerry de Souza has reached Nigerian waters, enabling Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria to launch its Usan Infill Project. As ExxonMobil's local subsidiary, Esso operates within Oil Mining Lease 138, where the Usan field sits.
This $1 billion investment initiative now formally begins drilling operations. Within 18 months, the project targets an additional 40,000 barrels per day of crude production from the existing field.
The vessel's sophisticated design allows for operations in deep-sea environments, making it well-suited to Nigeria's offshore conditions where such reserves are located. The company's deployment of this state-of-the-art drillship demonstrates continued confidence in deepwater exploration and development across Nigeria, counted among Africa's leading oil producers.
Over time, the Usan field has supplied Nigeria with substantial crude volumes, and this infill initiative seeks to sustain and grow output using equipment already in place. Esso's announcement regarding the drillship's arrival marks a pivotal development stage for the field.
Operating under OML 138 terms, Esso maintains control over the Usan field as part of Nigeria's Niger Delta, a region known for multiple deepwater concessions and prolific hydrocarbon reserves.
Sources
- This Day — ExxonMobil’s Ultra Deepwater Drillship Arrives Niger Delta as $1bn Usan Infill Project Begins
- This Day — ExxonMobil’s Ultra Deepwater Drillship Arrives N’Delta as $1bn Usan Infill Project Takes off
- This Day — ExxonMobil’s Ultra Deepwater DrillshipArrives N’Delta as $1bn Usan Infill Project Takes off
