The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has revoked the operating licence of the Oritsemeyin Rig following a drilling incident at the UDIBE-2 wellbore that raised serious safety concerns.
The disclosure was conveyed in a statement posted on the commission’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, September 12, 2025.
According to the commission, the revocation followed a review of the circumstances surrounding the UDIBE-2 drilling operation, where a “kick” — the unwanted flow of formation fluids into the wellbore — was recorded. This incident led to several non-productive hours, extra costs, and a forced sidetrack of the well.
“The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has revoked the operating licence of OritsemeyinRig and directed it to cease all operations upon the completion of its current well operations.
“The notice is contained in a letter dated September 11, 2025, addressed to Selective Marine Services Limited (SMSL) and signed by the Commission Chief Executive, Engineer Gbenga Komolafe.
“The NUPRC said in a statement on Friday 12 September 2025 that the decision followed a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the drilling of UDIBE-2 wellbore during which a kick was recorded, resulting in several Non-Productive Time (NPT) with consequential cost and a forced well sidetrack,” the statement read in part.
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NUPRC said it had earlier issued a formal notice of culpability to Selective Marine Services Limited (SMSL), operator of the rig, on June 5, 2025, granting a 21-day window to resolve the issues. A reminder was later sent on July 9, 2025, but the company failed to achieve compliance within the stipulated time.
“Consequent upon the forgoing and pursuant to the relevant powers conferred on the commission under the extant Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the annual licence to operate granted to Selective Marine Services Limited for the Oritsemeyin Rig is hereby revoked,” the commission stated.
- The upstream regulator also disqualified the Oritsemeyin Rig from all renewal protocols, stating that the sanction takes immediate effect in line with the provisions of the law.
- By this action, Selective Marine Services Limited (SMSL) is barred from seeking any future renewal of the rig’s licence, effectively ending its operational status in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
The NUPRC explained that the decision was backed by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which empowers the commission to enforce compliance with good oilfield practices, uphold international safety standards, and ensure operational safety, commercial efficiency, and environmental sustainability across the industry.
