The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced that Chevron Nigeria Limited, the operator of the NNPC/CNL joint venture, has successfully completed the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well.

In a statement on Monday, NNPC spokesperson Andy Odeh said the well is situated in the shallow offshore region of the western Niger Delta.

“The Awodi-07 well was drilled as part of the Joint Venture’s ongoing efforts to further delineate and unlock hydrocarbon potential within its asset portfolio.

“Drilling operations commenced 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 safely secured, bringing the programme to a successful close,” the company said.

NNPC said results from the well are highly encouraging, confirming a substantial presence of hydrocarbons across multiple reservoir zones.

“This outcome represents a notable milestone for the NNPC Ltd/CNL Joint Venture,on strengthening confidence in the underlying asset and reinforcing the prospectivity of the area,” the company said.

According to NNPC, the success of Awodi-07 highlights the impact of disciplined exploration, robust technical evaluation, and the strong operational partnership between NNPC and its joint venture partner.

The statement said that through this collaboration, the partners aim to raise oil production to around 146,000 barrels per day (bpd), boosting government revenue, creating jobs, and strengthening the nation’s energy supply.

Commenting on the milestone, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, praised Chevron Nigeria Limited for its operational excellence, technical expertise, and consistent value delivery.

“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,” he said.

Also speaking on the achievement, NNPC’s Executive Vice-President of Upstream, Udy Ntia, said the Awodi-07 results clearly demonstrate the value of long-term collaboration, technical excellence, and a stable, supportive operating environment.

“This discovery underscores the importance of disciplined exploration programmes, strong partnerships, and the positive impact of the reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act,” Ntia said.