Exclusive: Top 12 oil well operators in Nigeria as of 2020

An investigation carried out by Nairametrics has revealed that there are 7, 296 oil wells in Nigeria. Some of the oil wells were last drilled as far back as November 1938 (for prospecting purposes) and as recent as December 2008.

Based on the data cited by Nairametrics, 74 companies and 1 unknown entity have been running Nigeria’s 7,296 oil wells between 1938 and 2020. This list compiles only 12 out of 75 operators. 

What to note 

In the data cited by Nairametrics, there are industry terms used. The terms are explained below for easier understanding;  

• Oil and gas show wells are exploratory wells where oil and gas have been encountered but have not proved to be commercially viable or productive. 
• Plugged and abandoned wells have reached the end of their lifetime and have become dry holes. 
• Suspended wells are not economically viable at the time they were suspended, but could be put back into production in the future. 
• Water injector wells are used in the production of oil where high-pressure water is injected into the oil reservoir to increase oil recovery from an existing reservoir.   

Below is a list of the operators with the highest number of oil wells in Nigeria, from data last updated in 2020.  

1. Shell – The data shows that Shell has operated 2,678 wells in Nigeria within the dates under review. The company has been operating in the country since 1937. According to the data cited by Nairametrics, original status data shows that Shell has 63 drilling locations, 7 gas shows, 50 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 6 oil shows, 278 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 7 oil, and gas shows, 13 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 223 plugged and abandoned wells.
   
   Original status data shows 1406 suspended oil-producing wells, 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with gas, 462 wells tested with oil, 3 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 100 wells tested with oil and gas, 8 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas, and 3 water injector wells. All these sum up to 2,653 wells showing information on the original status.Meanwhile, the data on the current status of Shell’s oil wells are; 1 plugged and abandoned well, 1 shut-in oil production well, and 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with gas, amounting to three wells with current status information.
2. Mobil Nigeria (now double one “11” Plc) – The data shows that Mobil has operated 843 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 12 drilling locations, 18 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 2 oil shows, 45 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 7 oil, and gas shows, 17 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 69 plugged and abandoned wells, 4 suspended gas producing wells, 498 suspended oil producing wells, 2 suspended water producing wells, 26 wells tested with gas, 31 wells tested with oil, 4 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 82 wells tested with oil and gas, 14 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas, amounting to 831 wells.
   
   Meanwhile, data for current status is as follows; 1 oil-producing well, 1 plugged and abandoned oil show, 2 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 5 plugged and abandoned wells, and 2 wells tested with oil and gas, amounting to 11 wells.
3. Agip (now a subsidiary of Eni)– The data shows that Agip has operated 548 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 5 drilling locations, 1 gas show, 8 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 1 oil show, 47 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 7 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 62 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 suspended gas injector well, 1 suspended gas producing well, 326 suspended oil-producing well, 1 well tested with gas, 28 wells tested with oil, 6 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 26 wells tested with oil and gas, 10 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas. All these amounts to 530 wells.
   
   Meanwhile, data for current status is as follows; 2 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 2 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 proposed drilling location, and 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with oil and gas, amounting to six wells.
4. Elf (now merged with Total) – The data shows that Elf has operated 526 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 15 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 2 oil shows, 1 plugged and abandoned oil show, 9 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 2 oil and gas shows, 5 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 100 plugged and abandoned wells, 2 proposed drilling locations, 16 suspended gas producing wells, 249 suspended oil producing wells, 23 suspended water injectors, 4 suspended water producers, 1 well tested with gas, 5 plugged and abandoned wells tested with gas, 17 wells tested with oil, 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with oil, 14 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 33 wells tested with oil and gas, 16 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas. All these amounts to 515 wells.
   
   Meanwhile, data for current status is as follows; 5 abandoned oil-producing wells, 1 abandoned water injector, 13 gas-producing wells, 11 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 135 oil-producing wells, 1 plugged and abandoned oil show, 11 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 6 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 98 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 proposed drilling location, 2 shut-in gas producing wells, 107 shut-in oil producing wells, 6 plugged and abandoned wells tested with gas, 1 well tested with oil, 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with oil, 26 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 12 wells tested with oil and gas, 33 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas, 23 water injectors, 3 water producing wells, amounting to 496 wells.
5. Gulf Oil Company (now Chevron) – The data shows that Gulf has operated 505 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 5 drilling locations, 12 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 48 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 3 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 35 plugged and abandoned wells, 359 suspended oil-producing wells, 3 suspended water-producing wells, 24 wells tested with oil, 16 wells tested with oil and gas, amounting to 505 wells.
   
   
6. Chevron – The data shows that Chevron has operated 431 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 12 drilling locations, 6 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 4 oil shows, 11 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 1 oil and gas show, 10 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 1 oil and gas show, 10 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 45 plugged and abandoned wells, 256 suspended oil producing wells, 3 suspended water injectors, 6 suspended water producing wells, 2 wells tested with gas, 6 wells tested with oil, 47 wells tested with oil and gas, 2 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas. All these amount to 411 wells.
   
   Meanwhile, data for the current status is only 2 plugged and abandoned wells.
    
7. ExxonMobil – The data shows that ExxonMobil has operated 235 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 1 drilling location, 1 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 1 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 19 plugged and abandoned wells, 8 suspended gas-producing wells, 163 suspended oil-producing wells, 2 suspended water-producing wells, 4 wells tested with oil, 3 wells tested with oil and gas, 6 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas. All these amount to 208 wells. Meanwhile, data for current status are; 1 oil producer, 1 plugged and abandoned well, and 1 well tested with oil and gas, amounting to 3 wells.
8. Addax – The data shows that Addax has operated 206 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 1 drilling location, 2 oil shows, 1 plugged and abandoned oil show, 3 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 45 plugged and abandoned wells, 3 suspended gas-producing wells, 84 suspended oil-producing wells, 2 suspended water injectors, 6 wells tested with oil, 6 wells tested with oil and gas, 17 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas. All these amount to 170 wells.
   
   Meanwhile, data for the current status are unknown for all wells under the company.
9. Texaco (now MRS Oil Nigeria) – The data shows that Texaco has operated 180 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 4 drilling locations, 4 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 12 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 4 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 22 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 suspended gas-producing well, 96 suspended oil-producing wells, 1 well tested with gas, 18 wells tested with oil, 3 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 14 wells tested with oil and gas, 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with oil and gas. All these amount to 180 wells.
   
   Meanwhile, no data is available for the current status of Texaco’s oil wells.
10. ChevronTexaco (now Chevron) – The data shows that ChevronTexaco has operated 157 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 1 drilling location, 2 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 2 oil, and gas shows, 22 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 suspended gas-producing well, 108 suspended oil-producing wells, 1 suspended water-producing well, 2 wells tested with oil, 1 well tested with oil and gas, 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with oil and gas. All these amount to 141 wells.
    
    Meanwhile, no data is available for the current status of ChevronTexaco’s oil wells.
11. Total – The data shows that Total has operated 122 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 1 oil and gas show, 13 plugged and abandoned wells, 3 suspended gas injectors, 5 suspended gas producers, 25 suspended oil producers, 17 suspended water injectors, 2 suspended water-producing wells, 2 wells tested with oil, 1 plugged and abandoned well tested with oil, 2 wells tested with oil and gas, 6 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas. All these amounts to 77 wells.
    
    Meanwhile, current status data shows the following; 2 gas injectors, 2 gas-producing wells, 22 oil-producing wells, 10 plugged and abandoned wells, 3 suspended water injectors, 2 suspended water producers, 1 well tested with oil, 1 well tested with oil and gas, 4 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas, 5 water injectors, amounting to 52 wells.
12. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (now NNPC Limited) – The data shows that NNPC has operated 115 wells in Nigeria, within the dates under review. Original status data shows 1 drilling location, 4 plugged and abandoned gas shows, 6 plugged and abandoned oil shows, 5 plugged and abandoned oil and gas shows, 43 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 suspended gas-producing well, 27 suspended oil-producing wells, 7 wells tested with oil, 4 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 14 wells tested with oil and gas, 2 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas.Meanwhile, current status data shows the following; 1 oil producer, 1 plugged and abandoned oil show, 1 plugged and abandoned oil and gas show, 6 plugged and abandoned wells, 1 suspended oil-producing well, 3 wells tested with oil, 2 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil, 3 wells tested with oil and gas, 2 plugged and abandoned wells tested with oil and gas, amounting to 20 wells.  

 What you should know 

• An oil well is a hole dug into the earth that serves the purpose of bringing oil or other hydrocarbons like natural gas to the surface. Oil wells almost always produce some natural gas and frequently bring water up with the other petroleum products.  
• There are different types of oil wells. A conventional oil well is drilled in the traditional sense, in that a location is chosen above the reservoir and the well is drilled vertically downward.  
• Horizontal wells are drilled and steered to enter a deposit nearly horizontally. These wells can hit targets and stimulate reservoirs in ways that a vertical well cannot.  
• Offshore wells are drilled in water instead of onshore.  
• Multilateral wells are used occasionally and have several branches of the main borehole that drains a separate part of the reservoir.