Energy
Nigeria’s Crude Output Grows to 12m Barrels on Utapate, Cawthorne
New crude grade variants, Utapate and Cawthorne, have boosted Nigeria’s crude oil production by 12.16 million barrels.
The crude grades, introduced in 2024 and early 2026, represent the latest additions to the country’s basket of crude oil grades aimed at expanding export streams and strengthening oil revenues.
Data contained in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) monthly crude and condensate production, indicated that the Utapate crude grade produced a total of 8.75 million barrels between January and May 2026, while the newly introduced Cawthorne blend contributed 3.41 million barrels during the same period, bringing the combined output from both crude grades to approximately 12.16 million barrels.
The data also showed that Utapate has yet to achieve its projected output target announced by the government, even as production remained more than 20,000 barrels per day below the 80,000 bpd target set by operators.
The figures showed that Utapate recorded an average daily production of 55,190 barrels in January. Based on the 31-day month, this translated to a total monthly output of 1.71 million barrels.
Output increased to 57,970 barrels per day in February, yielding about 1.62 million barrels, before rising marginally to 58,020 barrels daily in March, equivalent to roughly 1.80 million barrels.
In April, the field attained its highest daily production level of 59,290 barrels, producing an estimated 1.78 million barrels during the month. Production moderated slightly to 59,170 barrels per day in May but still generated approximately 1.83 million barrels due to the longer calendar month.
However, despite the upward trend, the data indicated that Utapate remained significantly below the 80,000 barrels-per-day target. The field fell short by 24,810 barrels daily in January, 22,030 barrels in February, and 21,980 barrels in March.
The production gap narrowed to 20,710 barrels per day in April before widening marginally to 20,830 barrels in May.
The development suggests that although operators have made progress in scaling up production, the ambitious target announced earlier by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has yet to be realised.
The Utapate field, which commenced production in May 2024, had been projected to achieve 80,000 barrels per day by the end of 2025.
The Utapate crude blend was introduced into the international market by the NNPC Ltd and its partner, Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited, following the lifting of the maiden cargo of 950,000 barrels destined for Spain.
Produced from Oil Mining Lease 13 in Akwa Ibom State, the crude grade possesses characteristics that have attracted international interest. It has a sulphur content of 0.0655 percent and a relatively low carbon footprint resulting from flare gas elimination.
Meanwhile, another emerging crude stream, Cawthorne, contributed 3.41 million barrels to Nigeria’s production between January and May, according to the NUPRC data.
The figures showed that Cawthorne’s average daily production rose sharply from 12,340 barrels in January to 16,450 barrels in February and 23,970 barrels in March. The field sustained the momentum in April, reaching 30,970 barrels per day before easing slightly to 28,940 barrels daily in May.
The monthly production volumes translated to 382,540 barrels in January, 460,600 barrels in February, 743,070 barrels in March, 929,100 barrels in April and 897,140 barrels in May.
The NNPC Ltd had recently announced the commencement of exports from the Cawthorne blend, describing the development as part of efforts to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and strengthen the country’s position in the global energy market.
In a statement, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, said the first cargo of the new grade was lifted aboard the MT Eburones vessel for shipment to the Netherlands.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced export of its new crude grade, Cawthorne, marking a significant milestone in the company’s drive to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and expand its portfolio of globally competitive export streams,” Odeh said.
He added, “Cawthorne blend crude, the latest addition to Nigeria’s basket of crude grades, has an API gravity of 36.4, placing it firmly within the light, sweet category, comparable to Bonny Light, and highly valued in the global market for its superior petrol and diesel yields.”
According to him, the maiden cargo, estimated at 950,000 barrels, was exported through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading vessel located offshore Bonny, Rivers State.
“The cargo was exported via the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading vessel, which is strategically located offshore Bonny. The facility enhances crude evacuation from OML 18 and strengthens Nigeria’s export reliability, operational efficiency and overall energy security,” Odeh stated.
The emergence of both Utapate and Cawthorne underscores Nigeria’s determination to diversify its crude export portfolio and maximise oil earnings. However, the latest NUPRC figures also highlight the operational challenges facing producers as they strive to convert ambitious output targets into actual barrels.
Combined, Utapate and Cawthorne contributed an estimated 12.16 million barrels of crude oil between January and May, providing additional support to Nigeria’s broader efforts to sustain production growth and improve foreign exchange earnings from the oil sector.
On Thursday, the NUPRC reported that Nigeria’s crude oil production rose above its Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries quota in May 2026, with the country recording its highest crude output in 15 months amid improved operational stability and the absence of major disruptions across key oil facilities.
Data released showed that Nigeria produced an average of 1,530,354 barrels of crude oil per day in May, representing 102 per cent of the country’s 1.5 million barrels-per-day quota approved by OPEC.
When condensate production of 170,446 barrels per day was added, Nigeria’s total oil output climbed to 1,700,800 barrels per day, further strengthening the country’s position as Africa’s largest oil producer and boosting revenue.
Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, a Chevron company and operator of the Agbami unit, has won the bid for Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) 2010 in Nigeria’s 2025 licensing round.
Biztellers reports that the winners of the bid round were announced by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Abuja, on Tuesday July 21, 2026.
“Chevron continues to evaluate high-potential exploration opportunities across our global portfolio, with Nigeria long being an important part of our business,” Kevin McLachlan, Vice President of Exploration at Chevron said. “This award reflects our disciplined approach to adding quality acreage to our portfolio.”
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“We appreciate the efforts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and all stakeholders in delivering a successful licensing round,” said Jim Swartz, Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron companies in Nigeria and the Mid-Africa region. “Chevron remains committed to working collaboratively with the Nigerian government and our partners to support the development of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and contribute to the country’s broader economic growth,” he added.
A company statement has it that the award of the PPL 2010 supports Chevron’s global exploration strategy, which combines technology-enabled exploration, disciplined portfolio management and selective entry into high-potential opportunities. Beyond Nigeria, Chevron continues to advance exploration activities across Africa while growing a global portfolio to develop the energy needed to enable human progress.
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered nine illegal refining sites comprising 23 dugout pits in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, with 18 of the pits containing an estimated 104,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed the discovery in an operational report on Tuesday in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
He said the sites were uncovered during an operation carried out by personnel of Forward Operating Base Bonny under Operation DELTA SENTINEL.
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The operation also neutralised five newly excavated pits that had been prepared for imminent use before they could become operational, preventing the further expansion of the illegal refining network in the area.
Folorunsho said the operation delivered a significant setback to crude oil theft syndicates operating in the Bonny area, targeting criminal infrastructure across two communities simultaneously.
“Following actionable intelligence, personnel targeted criminal infrastructure concealed within the Wakama/Bolo and Aworkiri communities. The operation denied economic saboteurs the opportunity to activate new refining locations and sustain illicit petroleum production,” he said.
“The operation dealt another major setback to crude oil theft syndicates and further reinforced the service’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure,” Folorunsho added.
He said eight locally fabricated refining pots and three large storage tanks were also recovered during the operation, further disrupting the criminal network’s refining capability.
“All illegal facilities and recovered products were handled in accordance with extant anti-crude oil theft procedures,” he said, adding that by targeting both active and emerging illegal refining hubs, the Navy continues to weaken the operational resilience of crude oil theft syndicates.
“The latest success highlights the Nigerian Navy’s determination not only to disrupt illegal refining activities, but also to prevent criminal networks from rebuilding their infrastructure. By targeting both active and emerging illegal refining hubs, the service continues to weaken the operational resilience of crude oil theft syndicates and protecting Nigeria’s economic interests,” he said.
Winners of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) 2025 Licensing Round have 90 days from receiving their offer letters to either meet all award conditions or forfeit the assets.
Chief Executive of NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this aspect of the terms on Tuesday in Abuja, at the opening of the Commercial Bid Conference for the round.
According to her, being named a winner does not automatically mean a Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) has been granted.
She maintained that winners must still provide guarantees, pay a signature bonus and first-year rent, then sign contractual documents before a licence is issued.
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She disclosed that any bidder who misses the 90-day deadline loses the asset and the NUPRC will then offer it to the next-ranked bidder on its reserve list.
Eyesan said the Commission has no interest in acreage sitting idle in the hands of non-performing companies.
“The government is not seeking speculative holders of acreage; it is seeking partners with the capacity, discipline and commitment to deliver measurable production and economic value,” she said.
She put it more bluntly for the winning bidders: an award “is not a trophy to be held,” but an obligation to invest, drill, develop and produce. Her message to them was simple — “drill or drop.”
The exercise drew interest from about 300 companies for 50 available assets. Of these, 196 companies cleared prequalification, and 143 firms went on to submit 200 technical and commercial bids covering 37 assets.
Eyesan said the assets could add roughly 500 million barrels to Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate reserves, which currently stand at 37.01 billion barrels, plus access to gas reserves of 215.19 trillion cubic feet. Fully developed, the fields could add at least 300,000 barrels per day of crude and condensate production within three years — output NUPRC is counting toward Nigeria’s goal of 3 million barrels a day by 2030.
Beyond output, she said the projects would mean higher government revenue, stronger foreign exchange earnings, more jobs, deeper local content, and technology transfer.
Eyesan said NUPRC would judge the round’s success not by how many winners are named, but by how fast those awards turn into real activity — from paperwork to seismic surveys, to drilling, to development, to production.
In return for requiring performance, she said the Commission would offer operators a stable environment: clear guidance, predictable regulatory decisions, and quick intervention when genuine problems arise.
The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) monitored key stages of the process, which Eyesan said was carried out in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive that it meet international best practices.
She also confirmed that Tinubu has approved a new licensing round for 2026, and encouraged companies that did not win assets this time to stay engaged, as NUPRC plans to keep running rounds regularly to sustain exploration and replenish reserves.
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