$1bn Usan Infill Project Takes Off as Ultra-Deepwater Drillship Arrives in Nigeria

ExxonMobil Advances $1bn Usan Project as Ultra-Deepwater Drillship Arrives in Nigeria 

An ultra-deepwater drillship Noble Gerry de Souza has arrived in Nigerian waters for a new drilling campaign at the Usan field.

Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil and operator of the field in Oil Mining Lease 138, announced on Thursday that the drillship had arrived in Nigerian waters, marking the Usan Infill Project’s transition into its execution phase.

Backed by a cumulative investment of $1 billion from the OML 138 partners, the project is expected to deliver up to 40,000 barrels per day of additional oil production within 18 months.

Esso described the development as a short-cycle investment intended to increase production quickly by extracting additional reserves through existing offshore infrastructure. The company said the project would contribute to Nigeria’s energy security and wider economic development.

“The arrival of the Noble Gerry de Souza marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Usan field,” said Jagir Baxi, chairman and managing director of ExxonMobil affiliates in Nigeria.

Baxi said the project reflected the company’s focus on achieving short-cycle deepwater production growth through disciplined investment, technology deployment and operational excellence.

The advanced capabilities of the Noble Gerry de Souza are expected to support the safe and efficient execution of the drilling programme while helping to maximise recovery and strengthen the long-term performance of the Usan asset.

According to Esso, the start of offshore operations follows years of planning and collaboration among multidisciplinary teams from the company and its partner organisations in Nigeria.

The company said it would work closely with government agencies, regulators, contractors and joint-venture partners to deliver the project safely and responsibly.

The investment also signals renewed confidence in Nigeria’s deepwater oil sector amid ongoing efforts by the government to improve the operating environment and attract fresh capital into the energy industry.

With drilling activities now set to begin, the Usan Infill Project is positioned to become a significant source of near-term production growth for Nigeria and a key test of the country’s push to revitalise investment in offshore assets.