Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Co. (SNEPCO) has issued an invitation to rig providers for a deepwater mobile drilling unit.
SNEPCO said it would use the rig for “wells construction, maintenance, and abandonment in the Bonga fields”, on OML 118.
It is aiming to award the contract and start the work somewhere between the third quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026.
SNEPCO is the operator of OML 118. Also involved in the licence are Nigerian Agip Oil Co. (NAOC), Total Energies Nigeria and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater).
The company said it was looking for a self-propelled semi-submersible or drillship, at a minimum sixth generation. It would need to be able to work in 5,000 feet of water and drill to depths of 25,000 feet.
The advert has a closing date of August 14.
SNEPCO and partners renewed the licence on OML 118 in May 2021.
Shell integrated gas and upstream director Zoe Yujnovich met President Bola Tinubu in early July.
The Bonga FPSO hit its 1 billion barrels produced milestone in February this year. The vessel began producing in 2005, around 120 km offshore. There were two additional phases on the field, while a subsea tieback was drilled in 2014 to access the Bonga Northwest field.
Shell has reported that more than 95% of SNEPCO staff are Nigerian.
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