Nigeria’s determination to boost its crude oil reserves received a significant push as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) commenced an oil drilling campaign in the Wadi-B area of Borno State.
This marks the long-awaited return of crude oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin, following a six-year suspension of oil search activities in the region.
The decision to halt the search for oil in the Chad Basin was made in 2017 after a devastating incident involving Boko Haram terrorists.
Tragically, scientists and geologists working for a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation were abducted, and some lost their lives.
Located in the Tuba Community of Jere Local Government Area, approximately 50km from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the Wadi-B well has now become the focal point of renewed efforts.
President Muhammadu Buhari personally inaugurated the resumption of physical activities aimed at exploring crude oil and gas reserves in the Chad Basin.
Delivering his virtual address at the Wadi-B Drilling Campaign, President Buhari acknowledged the extensive history of crude oil and gas exploration in the Chad Basin, which dates back to 1976.
According to him, “crude oil and gas exploration activities have been ongoing in the Chad Basin since 1976 and also know of the discovery of sub-commercial gas at the Wadi-1 Well in 1985. I am also aware that active drilling activities were suspended in 1995 to enable a re-evaluation of exploration activities in the entire frontier basins.
“I am happy that the NNPC has since then conducted extensive Basinal Analysis and Evaluation of all frontier basins leading to the successful drilling and discovery of crude oil and gas in commercial quantities in Kolmani River 2 and 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.”
He expressed confidence that the achievements realized in the Kolmani River 2 would be mirrored in the Wadi-B area region as well.
