American oil giant Chevron has discovered the presence of hydrocarbons in the Nigeria’s Awodi-07 well following sucessful explortaion and appraisal, the national oil company, NNPC Limited, said.
In a statement on Monday, NNPC declared that the well, located in shallow offshore waters in oil-rich Niger Delta, was drilled under the NNPC Limited and Chevron Nigeria Limited joint venture.
The well formed part of Chevron’s appraisal and exploration programme aimed at identifying and unlocking hydrocarbon potential within its asset portfolio.
“The success of the Awodi-07 well reinforces the strength of the NNPC Limited and Chevron Nigeria Limited joint venture and our shared commitment to responsibly growing Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves,” the chief executive officer, Bayo Ojulari, said.
The discovery comes as Nigeria seeks to stabilise crude oil production and improve upstream investment after years of funding gaps, ageing infrastructure and output disruptions.
Why Chevron drilled the Awodi well
NNPC Limited explained that drilling activities on the Awodi-07 well commenced in late November 2025 and were concluded by mid December 2025.
The programme focused on evaluating hydrocarbon bearing formations within the shallow offshore western Niger Delta.
Drilling, testing, logging and data acquisition were completed safely and in compliance with approved operational and regulatory standards, after which the well was secured.
The appraisal confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons across multiple reservoir zones, providing technical data for future development planning.
Beyond this, the drilling effort supports Nigeria’s strategy of expanding production through targeted exploration within existing acreage.
What it means for Nigeria’s oil production
Moreover, the national oil firm said the Awodi-07 result strengthens confidence in the underlying asset and supports plans to increase crude oil production.
The executive vice president, upstream, NNPC Limited, Udy Ntia, said the discovery shows the value of disciplined exploration programmes and sustained collaboration.
“This discovery shows the importance of disciplined exploration programmes, strong partnerships and the positive impact of the reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act,” Ntia said.
He added that NNPC Limited would work with Chevron Nigeria Limited to mature the opportunity and move it towards development and monetisation.
NNPC Limited and Chevron Nigeria Limited operate several oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta under a joint venture arrangement.
Under the structure, Chevron holds 40% interest in the assets, while NNPC Limited owns the remaining share.
The partners aim to increase oil production to about 146,000 bdp to support government revenue, job creation and domestic energy supply.
