Nigeria

Why Nigeria?

The offshore Nigerian shelf is West Africa's most prolific hydrocarbon province, boasting multiple billion-barrel discoveries and decades of successful production. Nigeria remains a major oil producer in Africa, with approximately 37 billion barrels of oil reserves, ranking among the top ten globally. The country produces between 1.3 and 1.8 million barrels of crude oil daily and has over 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, with the potential to reach 600 trillion cubic feet.

At TGS, in partnership with PetroData, we are committed to providing top-tier data in the region. Our datasets include a distinctive 2D seismic survey, a comprehensive regional Multibeam and Seafloor Sampling (MB&SS) study, and a pioneering geochemical coring project. These resources are uniquely positioned to evaluate a wide range of exploration opportunities in open and deepwater acreage.

Nigeria License Round 2024

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is offering 24 blocks in its 2024 licensing round, including seven deep offshore assets from the previous bid round. This makes a total of 31 offshore blocks. Prequalification is expected to close early July 2024, and bidding will be overseen by the NUPRC and scheduled to conclude by December 2024.

TGS is supporting this round with a suite of offshore subsurface data, including 2D and 3D seismic, multibeam, coring, and geochemical programs – the first of its kind in the region. Our multibeam and seafloor sampling dataset, which is mandatory for all pre-qualified bidders, covers approximately 82,000 km2 and provides a fresh perspective on exploration plays in deep-water Nigeria, offering fresh insights to prospective bidders for exploration risk management and aligning with the government's goals of reserve maturation and production optimisation. 

Awele 3D: New Seismic Acquisition

The Awele 3D multiclient seismic program, which commenced in Q3 of 2023, aims to enhance Nigeria’s energy potential by providing valuable data insights into untapped hydrocarbon resources and revealing prospectivity in the offshore deep and ultra-deep waters of the Niger Delta Basin.

The acquisition stage of the Awele 3D program is now complete, and processing is ongoing. Expected products and timelines:

• Awele South PSTM fast-track (approx. 5,900km²) available Q2 2024. 
• Awele North PSTM fast-track (approx. 5,530km²) available Q3 2024
• Final PSTM products (approx. 11,430km²) available Q4 2024
• Final PSDM products (approx. 11,430km²) using a high-resolution velocity model with FWI integrated with tomography available Q2 2025.

Unlocking the prospectivity and de-risking drilling operations in one of Africa's largest and oldest hydrocarbon producers will further bolster Nigeria’s energy production capacity to meet the rising energy demand. 

Nigeria's Deepwater Potential

With significantly improved imaging of more than 17,000 km of recently reprocessed 2D seismic offshore Nigeria, TGS-PD data will enable a better understanding of the petroleum system of the deepwater offshore area. Our new depth imaging creates more accurate dip and realistic volume interpretation of features of interest. The potential for new license rounds over the deepwater open blocks, in conjunction with lower-risk petroleum play concepts, could once again establish Nigeria as West Africa’s flagship country for exploration.

More than ten currently producing fields in water depths of 1,000 m to 3,000 m confirm source rock presence and maturity in the deepwater region offshore Nigeria. These seem to prove that the Akata Shale formation can be mature for oil further outboard than the shelf and that there are feasible migration paths and trap charge scenarios in the distal part of the delta lobes. This makes prospects further outboard viable, such as those identified in the outer fold and thrust belt. Structural analyses on the fault and thrust patterns and detachment mechanisms of the margin slope show various viable setups of charging several folds and thrusts along the slope. 

The geometry and timing of the toe thrust formation, which detached on a most likely over-pressured regional shale formation, allow substantial volumes to be charged downdip from the known discoveries and production locations.