Buhari flags off exploration activities in Lake Chad basin, as NNPCL begins Wadi-B oil drilling campaign in Borno state

Oredola Adeola

The Nigerian Government has flagged off the crude oil drilling campaign in the Wadi-B Well, located within the Lake Chad basin, in Borno State, eight years after the 3D Seismic acquisition operations were suspended due to insurgency.

The outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari, in virtual session on Tuesday flagged off the Wadi-B Drilling Campaign, Chad Basin, Tuba Community, Jere Local Government Area, Borno State, as Mele Kyari, Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) NNPCL, and Professor Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State were on ground to launch the commencement of the drilling exercise.

EnergyDay checks showed that the Wadi B well located in Jere local government area of Borno State, has a total depth of 14,000 feet with hydrocarbon prospects that could be either be oil, gas or both.

After many years of suspending activities in the two wells (Wadi-1 & Kinasar-1) with data showing noncommercial gas, the NNPCL, in 2022, completed the security risk assessment to resume exploration activities in the wells.

President Buhari while performing the virtual flag-off of the Wadi-B Drilling Campaign which physically took place in Borno State, said that the crude oil and gas exploration activities have been ongoing in the Chad Basin since 1976, adding that sub commercial gas was discovered at the Wadi-1 Well in 1985.

He commended the NNPC for conducting the extensive Basinal Analysis and Evaluation of all frontier basins across Nigeria, leading to the successful drilling and discovery of crude oil and gas in commercial quantities in Kolmani River 2.

He further appreciated the national oil company for providing insight to the ongoing crude oil and gas drilling campaign in Nasarawa State as well the current re-entry activities into the Chad Basin.

The outgoing President therefore affirmed that the country stands to benefit immensely from a positive outcome of the operations as there will be an increase in National crude oil and gas reserves and production, enhanced national energy security and greater prosperity for Nigerians.

Buhari however urged security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that the venture meets with a resounding success.

The NNPCL GCEO, Kyari in his address at the event said that the re-mobilization of a drilling rig to the Chad Basin for the first time underscored the visionary leadership of outgoing President Mohammadu Buhari.

He said, the NNPCL was honoured to have him brought back hydrocarbon exploration activities to the Chad Basin.

The GCEO NNPCL said, “As a commercial enterprise, NNPC Limited sees this project as an opportunity to monetize our abundant hydrocarbon resources, by expanding access to energy to support economic growth, industrialization, and job creation across the country.”

“Our renewed drilling campaign has a higher geological chance of making commercial discoveries of hydrocarbons as we are equipped with state-of-the-art integrated geophysical datasets.”

“Therefore, this is an event that will reinforce the Government’s commitment to exploration in the Nation’s Frontier Basins, primarily aimed at increasing the Nation’s hydrocarbon reserves, ” Mr Kyari said.

Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, FNSE, Commission Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in his comment said that the huge case prospective hydrocarbon resource estimated at about 943 million barrels of crude oil will be matured and migrated into proven reserve, based on the appraisal drilling of the wells.

He said, “This will contribute to the growth in the national oil reserve