The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture (NNPCL/CNL JV) has successfully completed the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well, confirming a strong hydrocarbon discovery in the shallow offshore western Niger Delta.
The successful discovery was announced in a statement by Chevron’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for the Nigeria/Mid-Africa Region, Olusoga Oduselu, on Friday in Lagos.
Drilled on an accelerated schedule, Awodi-07 was spud on November 30, 2025, reached a total depth of 12,420 feet measured depth (11,303 feet true vertical depth) on December 16, and was safely plugged and suspended on December 28 after full wireline logging and fluid sampling operations.
The results are clear and compelling. Awodi-07 encountered approximately 675 feet of hydrocarbon pay, delivering value across both appraisal and exploration objectives:
310 feet of appraisal pay, fully aligned with pre-drill expectations and unlocking immediate development potential.
365 feet of exploration pay, distributed across six hydrocarbon-bearing sands, significantly expanding the prospect’s upside.
Reacting to the discovery, Jim Swartz, Chairman and Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa Region, described the outcome as a strong validation of strategy and partnership.
“The Awodi-07 success demonstrates the strength of our exploration program and the value of collaboration with our senior partner, NNPCL, reinforcing the NNPCL/CNL JV’s commitment to sustaining production growth,” Swartz said.
The discovery also extends Chevron’s recent exploration momentum in Nigeria. Kevin McLachlan, Vice President – Exploration, noted that Awodi-07 marks the third successful discovery since late 2024, reinforcing Chevron’s global exploration focus.
“All three discoveries complement Chevron’s strategy to balance infrastructure-enabled and frontier exploration,” McLachlan stated.
The Awodi-07 milestone aligns with Chevron Nigeria Limited’s commitment to grow its hydrocarbon portfolio, particularly in onshore and shallow-water assets, while supporting a broader global strategy aimed at extending asset life and shortening development cycles.
Enabled by the Petroleum Industry Act and ongoing industry reforms, the NNPCL/CNL JV continues to advance exploration opportunities and convert discoveries into tangible value for Nigeria through technology deployment, local partnerships, and disciplined development.
The Joint Venture expressed appreciation for its partnership with NNPCL and the continued support of industry regulators, reaffirming its commitment to full regulatory compliance and stakeholder collaboration.
