Chevron’s drilling ops in Nigerian waters lead to new hydrocarbon discovery

January 26, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), a subsidiary of the U.S.-headquartered Chevron and the operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)/CNL joint venture, has made a new hydrocarbon discovery off the coast of Nigeria, Africa.

Man with a hardhat with words "Chevron" on it with an offshore rig in the background — Illustration; Source: Chevron

The NNPC/CNL joint venture has completed the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well located in the shallow offshore western Niger Delta. The well was drilled as part of the joint venture’s ongoing efforts to further delineate and unlock hydrocarbon potential within its asset portfolio.

Udy Ntia, Executive Vice President of Upstream at NNPC, highlighted: “This discovery underscores the importance of disciplined exploration programmes, strong partnerships, and the positive impact of the reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act. We look forward to working closely with Chevron Nigeria Limited to mature this opportunity and progress it towards timely development and monetisation.”

The drilling operations began in late November 2025 and were concluded in mid-December 2025, with all activities executed safely, efficiently, and in strict compliance with approved operational and regulatory standards. Following the completion of comprehensive testing, logging, and data acquisition, the well was secured, bringing the program to a close.

NNPC claims that the results from the well are highly encouraging, confirming a significant presence of hydrocarbons across multiple reservoir zones. The discovery is seen as a notable milestone for the NNPC/CNL joint venture on strengthening confidence in the underlying asset and reinforcing the prospectivity of the area.

NNPC (60%) and Chevron (40%) work together under a joint venture agreement to operate several oil and gas fields in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, allowing both companies to combine resources, expertise, and investment to develop Nigeria’s oil and gas resources more effectively.

The Awodi-07 well is said to further highlight the effectiveness of disciplined exploration, sound technical evaluation, and the strong operational collaboration between the joint venture partners.

Through this collaboration, the duo aims to increase oil production to about 146,000 barrels per day, which would support government revenue, create jobs, and contribute to the country’s energy supply.

Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, commented: “The success of the Awodi-07 well further reinforces the strength of the NNPC Ltd/CNL Joint Venture and our shared commitment to responsibly growing Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves.

“This achievement aligns squarely with our strategic priorities of increasing production, enhancing national energy security, and delivering sustainable value for the Nigerian people.”