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Nigeria and Benin

Shell staff board a helicopter near Port Harcourt, Nigeria. (photo)
Shell Nigeria staff board a helicopter
that will transport them to an onshore
oilfield near Port Harcourt.

Shell’s share of production, onshore and offshore, in Nigeria was approximately 265 thousand boe/d in 2013, compared with approximately 365 thousand boe/d in 2012. Security issues and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta continued to be significant challenges in 2013.

Onshore

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) is the operator of a joint arrangement (Shell interest 30%) holding more than 25 Niger Delta onshore oil mining leases (OMLs), which expire in 2019. To provide funding, modified carry agreements are in place for certain key projects, and are being reimbursed. Further new carry agreements with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation were put in place during 2013.

SPDC supplies gas to Nigeria LNG Ltd (NLNG) mainly through its Gbaran-Ubie and Soku projects. During 2013, force majeure was declared on several occasions, mainly related to security issues, sabotage and crude oil theft incidents. This significantly reduced onshore oil and gas production, and impacted gas supplies to NLNG. SPDC is undertaking a strategic review of its interests in the eastern Niger Delta, which may lead to the divestment of certain leases.

Shell staff at an oil field near Port Harcourt, Nigeria. (photo)
Shell staff at an oil field near
Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Offshore

Our main offshore deep-water activities are carried out by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO, Shell interest 100%) which holds interests in four deep-water blocks. SNEPCO operates OMLs 118 (including the Bonga field) and 135 (Bolia) holding a 55% interest in each, and holds a 43.75% interest in OML 133 (Erha) and 50% interest in oil production lease (OPL) 245 (Zabazaba). Deep-water offshore activities are typically governed through PSCs.

SPDC holds an interest in six shallow-water offshore leases, of which five expired on November 30, 2008. However, SPDC satisfied all the requirements of the Nigerian Petroleum Act to be entitled to an extension. Currently, the status quo is maintained following a court order issued on November 26, 2008. SPDC is pursuing a negotiated solution with the federal government of Nigeria. Production from the EA field, in one of the disputed leases, continued throughout 2013.

Liquefied natural gas

Shell has a 25.6% interest in NLNG, which operates six LNG trains with a total capacity of 22.0 mtpa. In 2013, LNG production was lower than in 2012 because of gas supply constraints and the impact of a blockade of NLNG export facilities by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Nigeria and Benin (detailed map)