Oil giant, Chevron, says it submitted the winning bid for a deepwater oil block offshore Nigeria, marking a fresh step in its efforts to strengthen its presence in the country’s offshore energy sector.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) opened commercial bids for its 2025 licensing round, with Star Deep Water Petroleum, a Chevron company and operator of the Agbami field, emerging as the top bidder for Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) 2010.
“Chevron continues to evaluate high-potential exploration opportunities across our global portfolio, with Nigeria long being an important part of our business,” said Mr Kevin McLachlan, head of exploration at Chevron.
On his part, Mr Jim Swartz, chairman of Chevron companies in Nigeria and Mid-Africa, added: “Chevron remains committed to working collaboratively with the Nigerian government and our partners to support the development of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and contribute to the country’s broader economic growth.”
The super oil major is among the 143 companies that submitted 200 bids for the oil facilities drawn from diverse terrains, including the Niger Delta Onshore, Niger Delta Shallow Water, Niger Delta Deep Offshore, Benin Basin Onshore, Anambra Basin Onshore, Chad Basin Onshore and Benue Trough.
Business Post gathered that investors, however, were only interested in 37 out of the 50 oil blocks put up for sale by the NUPRC. This is the first time in Nigeria’s energy history that frontier basins would attract such a level of investor interest.
The organisations that won the bids included SSonic Petroleum Limited (PPL 2A29), CFP Pipeline and Flowlines (2A30), Dutchford E&P Limited (2A32), Attabanson Global Company Limited (2A33 and PPL 901), Rosem Energy Limited (2A38), Pivot-GIS Limited (2A39), Network E&P (2A40), Asharami (2A41), LexOil (2A42), BVOF (2A43), GupscoEnergy Limited (2A44 and 2A51), Saratoga (2A45), Volante (2A46), Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited (2A47 and 2A55), Clinton Oil Field (2A48 and 2A62) and Nuway Oaklane Limited (2A49).
Others were Ramec (2A50), Italia (2A53), Blueridge E&P (2A54), Up Energies Limited (2A56), AYM Shafa (2A57), Blackrock Holdings Limited (2A58), Funtay Integrated Business Limited (2A59), Riparian Development and Production Limited (2A60), Nikstallis (2A61 and PPL 900), Stardeep Petroleum (PPL 2010), Dakoda & U Limited (PPL308 and PPL 800), Southborne Oil and Gas Limited (PPL 902), Lanaka Petroleum (PPL 903) HighbanResources Limited (PPL 700), Eyre Energy Limited (PPL 801).