Operations
The Opuama Field located on the west of the OML 40 block, was discovered in 1972 (Opuama-1 well). Production from Opuama began in 1975, reaching a peak output of 11,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) from five wells: Opuama-1, 3, 5, 6, and 7 in 1976. The field was operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) from 1972 until 2006. By 2006, production had declined to approximately 2,000 bopd with a cumulative production of 43.2 million barrels (MMbbls) amidst a host of community issues; leading to the field being shut in.
In 2012, the OML 40 block was divested to the NEPL/Elcrest Joint Venture. Post SPDC divestment, the JV carried out the rehabilitation of the Opuama Flow station, repair and sectional replacement of damaged sections of the export pipeline, well head maintenance of Opuama-1 & -3 X-mas tree, modification of the Benin River valve station and Pipeline tie in etc. and restarted production in Opuama at ~2500 bopd in February 2014 after ~8 year shut down.
Well Interventions campaigns in 2015 in Opuama-1 and Opuama-3 raised production to 4,500 bopd. A sidetrack in Opuama-7 and the drilling of four additional infill wells (Opuama-8, 9, 10, and 11) resulted in a significant increase in production, with Opuama’s output rising to ~30,000 bopd in April 2018.
A further six wells (Opuama- 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17) have been drilled in Opuama between 2021 and 2023. Current production is ~14,000 bopd.
The produced crude from Opuama is processed at the Opuama Flowstation, which has a capacity of approximately 30,000 barrels per day. The crude is then transported via a dedicated 36-kilometre pipeline to the LACT Unit at Otumara Field, and subsequently injected into the Trans Escravos Pipeline (TEP), which carries the oil onward to the Forcados oil Terminal (FOT).
