According to a data report from June 2023 Offshore Rigs Tracker, released on Monday by Hawilti and the Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, Nigeria has measured up with Angola in the drilling of crude oil, as both nations are now the largest crude oil drilling markets in Africa.
The report reveals that 38 drilling wells have been contracted offshore sub-Saharan Africa so far this year and this marks an increase from the pace of activity witnessed in 2022 and early 2023.
It also noted that new drilling contracts have been allotted across established and frontier markets since January “confirming 2023 as one of the biggest years for offshore drilling activity on the continent in a decade”.
“Nigeria has caught up with Angola to also take the position of the biggest drilling market this year, with a total of eight drilling campaigns confirmed offshore in both countries”, the report stated. “However, activity is likely to remain higher in Angola as most drilling campaigns there are confirmed until the second half of 2024 already to support exploratory, infill, and development drilling.”
The report stated that exploration is important to ongoing and planned drilling campaigns for 2023. “While results of key campaigns in Gabon and Congo are still awaited, new contracts have been signed to Eni to drill the Raia prospect offshore Mozambique, and by Galp to join the Orange Basin frenzy offshore Namibia and drill two wells there at the end of the year,” it further noted.
“TotalEnergies also extended the Baltic rig contract offshore Nigeria to drill the Ntokon Central prospect on OML 102, while Shell selected the Noble Voyager to drill a wildcat on its C-10 license offshore Mauritania at the end of this year.”
The report said “Positive rumors” are already circulating out of Namibia where TotalEnergies appraised its Venus discovery while the industry awaits the results of concluded campaigns and looks forward to the spudding of much-awaited wells. The campaign, according to the document, seems to have met expectations and will be followed by the drilling of a new prospect — Nara — just west of the existing discovery.
It further stated that “offshore drilling campaigns remain largely driven by international oil companies (IOCs) this year, especially TotalEnergies and Eni. For the same reason, a majority of drilling activity is located in deepwater where IOCs have most of their producing and exploration portfolio”.
According to the report, in West Africa, Nigeria is finally back in business with most rigs schedules extended and new contracts signed since the start of the year. “Importantly, the country has two deepwater rigs active this year, including the Valaris DS-10 for SNEPCO (Shell) on its Bonga hub (OML 118) until Q1 2024, and the Gerry de Souza for TotalEnergies on its Egina and Akpo hubs (OML 130),” the report added.