Operations
The Gbetiokun Field is situated to the southeast of the OML 40 block and was discovered in 1987 (Gbetiokun-1 well), drilled by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and further appraised by Gbetiokun-2 (SPDC) drilled in 1990-91.
First oil from the Gbetiokun Field was achieved in February 2019 with the recompletion of the Gbetiokun-1 well by the Elcrest/NEPL Joint Venture. Between 2019 and 2023, nine new wells (Gbetiokun-3 to 11) were drilled, increasing the field’s production from zero to an all-time high of ~21,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) in February 2022.
Two additional wells (Gbetiokun 12 and Gbetiokun 13) were drilled in 2024.
 The crude oil from Gbetiokun is processed at the 22,000-barrel-per-day Early Production Facility into a storage vessel and then evacuated via shuttle barges to the Benin River Valve Station (BRVS). From there, it is injected into the export pipeline to the Otumara LACT Unit and onwards to the Forcados Oil Terminal (FOT).
Ongoing projects in the Gbetiokun Field include the construction and installation of an evacuation pipeline from Gbetiokun to the Adagbassa Manifold.
As at the end of January 2025, a cumulative of over 19 million bbls of crude oil has been produced from the field. Current production capacity is ~17,900 bopd.
