Akrake Petroleum, indirectly owned by Rex International Holding through Lime Petroleum, has encountered technical challenges during offshore drilling at the Sèmè field in Benin, preventing production from commencing in 2025.
The operator launched the current drilling programme in summer 2025, spudding the first well in August using Borr Drilling’s Gerd jack-up rig. The campaign forms part of a 100-day, three-well effort designed to redevelop the Sèmè field in Block 1.
The work scope, initially targeted for completion in Q4 2025, comprises two horizontal production wells in the previously producing H6 formation, alongside a deeper vertical appraisal well. The appraisal well is intended to obtain subsurface data from the H7 and H8 reservoirs to support evaluation of a potential second development phase.
In a project update dated 24 December 2025, Rex International Holding reported that the drilling programme had encountered additional significant technical problems. As a result, the company confirmed that oil production from the Sèmè field would not begin in 2025. It added that drilling activities are continuing as efforts remain focused on resolving the issues.
Akrake Petroleum serves as operator of the Sèmè field with an approximate 76% working interest. The government of Benin holds the remaining interests at 15% and Octogone Trading at 9%.
Upon completion of drilling, a refurbished Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) is scheduled to mobilise to the field, together with a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) unit. Following installation, the MOPU is planned to be connected to the newly drilled wells. Rex International Holding previously indicated that initial production is expected to reach around 15,000 barrels of oil per day.
Block 1 covers an area of 551 square kilometres in shallow waters of 20–30 m. The Sèmè field was discovered in 1969 and later developed during the 1980s, producing about 22 million barrels before operations were suspended in the late 1990s due to low oil prices.
