Nigerian independent oil firm Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited is preparing to drill important exploration development well and is also aiming additional resources at its Tubu oil and gas field in shallow water southeast Niger Delta.
According to an Oslo-based media, the drilling of important exploration development well is expected to kick off within weeks from now on its Nigerian assets which is aimed at increasing the company’s current production from 20,000 bpd to about 50,000 bpd and about 700 mmscfd of gas per day while the company is also aiming to spud a delayed deep-water wildcat towards the end of this year on its Central Tano block in Ghana.
The undeveloped discovery is the main asset in the Oil Mining Lease OML 52 that Amni purchased from Chevron in 2013 who had previously performed a 7-well appraisal on the field. OML 52 is a shallow water block in the southeastern Niger Delta containing the Tubu oil and gas discovery. The block partially straddles Bonny Island where the Bonny oil terminal and NLNG are located.
Tubu was appraised by ChevronTexaco in the 2000s, together with comprehensive geological
studies and advanced development plans. Tunde Afolabi, Chairman of Amni International Petroleum Development Company said it would cost the company over $3 billion to develop all its assets at Tubu,
Okoro, and IMA fields. “We have about 45 million barrels of oil in Tubu, about 45 million barrels of oil in Okoro, and 3.2 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas between Okoro and IMA. We recently went on a roadshow to get companies, financial institutions, and off takers to look at our assets and investment opportunities, where we received
a positive response,” Afolabi told BusinessYear.com last year.
The chairman of Amni International who is also the CEO said the company have also reached out to banks in Europe and the US, who are currently going through the due diligence process. Afolabi said the ultimate goal of 200,000 bpd is realizable within
three to four years as Amni International is pursuing several assets
in the region as well as a prospective license in Ghana, where the
field could easily yield 70,000 bpd.
Recall last year Reuters reported, Guaranty Trust Bank and Shell’s local arm agreed a $270-million oil-backed loan to Amni International. Amni said the loan would be used to further develop its Ima and Okoro/Setu fields. “We are excited to work with GT Bank and Shell as commercial and financial partners to enable the realisation of Amni’s ambitious plans for growth,” Amni’s chief executive Tunde Afolabi told Reuters.
Amni operates OML 112, OML 117 and OML 52 in Nigeria with average production of 16,000 bopd. OML 52 is a shallow water block in the southeastern Niger Delta containing the Tubu oil and gas discovery. Indigenous company Amni International plans to develop the field with a wellhead platform tied into Amni’s existing Ima facilities, 10 kilometres to the south on OML 112. The initial phase will focus on developing the oil, with five development wells. Associated gas will be extracted at Ima, and re-routed to Tubu for re-injection
