NNPC explores sites in Niger, six other countries after Kolmani Oil Well Success

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has accelerated procedures for more frontier exploration across Niger, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Anambra, Adamawa, Bauchi, and Gombe states, barely a month after the federal government unveiled Kolmani River 2 oil well between Gombe and Bauchi states.

This is based on study of a report NNPC Ltd. provided on its actions for frontier exploration services from 2020 to 2022.
According to the last FAAC report that the NNPC published in August 2022, the corporation would have spent N79.4 billion on Frontier Exploration Service (FES) by the end of this year. While it spent N50.4 billion the previous year, it was budgeted to spend N29.4 billion in 2022. As of August 2022, it had spent N14.3 billion from this total, leaving it with N15.1 billion since then.

Six oil wells are dug by NNPC.
Drilling potential well sites is the phase where there is the greatest chance of discovering oil. The document states that NNPC has finished drilling at six locations in the frontier basins. After drilling 13,000 feet, the business finished Kolmani River 3 in November 2020, beginning in April 2020.
Approximately one billion barrels of oil and 500 billion standard cubic feet of gas were discovered nearby at the Kolmani River 2 well reservoir. The Kolmani River 4 well was also drilled by NNPC between July and September 2021. The finding of additional reservoirs near the Kolmani River in the Gongola basin might increase oil exploration to 19 billion barrels of crude.
The decision to start drilling at the Chad Basin and three additional locations is being finalized by NNPC.
gathers and analyzes seismic data for additional sites

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NNPC Ltd had to obtain 2D and 3D seismic data, which it analyzed and then analysed, in order to proceed to the drilling stage. Starting with the data acquisition stage, the firm said it has completed 700LKm 2D Seismic Data Acquisition in Sokoto Basin and has completed paid compensation for crops on the land.
The business purchased 600LKm of 2D seismic data in the Bida basin, and post-acquisition tasks are 70% finished.

In 2020, NNPC started the process of acquiring 500lKm 2D Seismic Data for the southern Chad basin near Borno State, but the activities were put on hold because to a security danger. However, as of November 7, 2022, the Defense Headquarters has granted it security clearance (DHQ). Additionally, it has asked the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for a waiver so that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) may start working.
Additionally, the company has finished collecting 124Km2 of 3D seismic data for Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL)-813A, commonly known as Kolmani River I. Before drilling can start, the post-data collecting processes are 65% complete.
NNPC has acquired 86Km2 of 3D seismic data in Keana West, Nasarawa State, although post-acquisition activities have not yet started.
In Yobe State, the business is evaluating a 168km2 probable region while exploring for oil in Phase 13 Wadi. Phase 14 of the Kinasar Prospect, covering 170 km2, and phase 15 of the Ziye Prospect, covering 172 km2, are both in Adamawa State and are both located in the Bornu basin. While the contract agreements for phases 13 and 14 have been signed, those for phase 15 have not. All three of the prospect regions have recently undergone a security risk evaluation by the organization.
NNPC has almost completed processing of acquired seismic data for six other prospect areas in the frontier basins. The (Pre-Stack Time Migration (PSTM) reprocessing of data for 91 lines spanning about 2,968km awaits final deliverables. The PSTM for 700lkm Sokoto basin (2D data) has been completed; another for 600lkm Bida basin completed; that of 86km2 3D data for Keana has also been completed. NNPC has also completed 3D data PSTM for three oil prospect sites spanning over 1,000km.
The business is analyzing seismic data that it has already processed for 13 sites. The Nasara well in Gombe, which is at 96.5%, and KR S E NE, which is at 98% level, are among them. The Keana process is at 28% and OPL 813A (Kolmani River I), which is being carried out by Seismax PPS, is at 53.3% level. Schlumberger is in charge of the 72% KR S E NE.

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The national oil firm has conducted new research as it explores these frontiers, particularly in the Anambra Basin, where there is already an operational oil well between the states of Anambra and Kogi. It has gathered 1400 samples of rocks from the area around probable oil spots to analyze in order to assess the basin’s oil search potential.
For oil find surveys, the business is utilizing unconventional technology at three different locations. Full Tensor Gradiometry (FTG) was used by NNPC to examine the Chad basin and the Benue trough, and it was also used to study the Sokoto and Bida basins. The FTG technology led to the capture of 2D data that have been evaluated and processed ahead of physical oil drilling in the sites.

According to the analysis, NNPC used the Micromagnetic analysis procedure to help with oil discovery in the Benue Trough while suspending a similar approach in the Chad Basin earlier owing to security issues. However, NNPC asserted that it now has the necessary security clearance to start the procedure in the upcoming year.