The joint venture between NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited has confirmed a new hydrocarbon accumulation at the Awodi-07 well in shallow waters off the western Niger Delta, reinforcing confidence in the partners’ asset base. The well forms part of a wider campaign to better define and develop untapped potential within the joint venture portfolio.

Drilling at Awodi-07 started toward the end of November 2025 and finished in the middle of December 2025. The joint venture reports that operations were carried out safely and efficiently, in line with approved technical and regulatory requirements. After logging, testing and data acquisition were completed, the well was secured and the drilling programme wrapped up.

According to NNPC, evaluation of the well indicates a significant presence of hydrocarbons across several reservoir intervals, marking an important milestone for the partnership and highlighting the prospectivity of the wider area. The company stresses that the result reflects systematic exploration, solid technical work and close operational cooperation with Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Under their joint venture, NNPC holds a 60% interest and Chevron the remaining 40% in a number of oil and gas fields in the Niger Delta. Through this collaboration, the partners are working to lift oil production from the venture to around 146,000 barrels per day, supporting government revenue, employment and Nigerian energy supplies.

NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, said the Awodi-07 outcome underlines the value of structured exploration programmes, strong partnerships and reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act, and signalled that NNPC plans to work with Chevron Nigeria Limited to move the opportunity swiftly towards development and monetisation. Group CEO Bashir Bayo Ojulari added that the result strengthens the NNPC Ltd/Chevron Nigeria Limited joint venture and aligns with priorities to raise production, underpin national energy security and deliver lasting value for Nigerians.