The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has inaugurated the Assa North-Ohaji South (ANOH) gas processing company, a partnership between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Seplat Petroleum Nigeria Limited. The company will increase by 300 mcf/d (8.5 mcm/d) the natural gas output of Nigeria through the exploration of the Assa North-Ohaji South gas field in Imo State, Nigeria. The project is a part of the Seven Critical Gas Development Project (7CGDP) by NNPC and will be operational by 2020. It will be linked with a new 1,200 MW gas-fired power plant.
The projects included in 7CGDP programme will provide an aidditional 3,400 mcf/d (96.3 mcm/d) of gas supply to Nigeria by 2020. Projects in the portfolio include the 6,400 bcf (180 bcm) Samabri-Bisseni, Akri-Oguta and Ubie-Oshi gasfields, developed by NNPC, Shell petroleum, the Development Company of Nigeria, Total, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (Eni) and Oando; the 4,300 bcf (120 bcm) Assa North-Ohaji South gas field, developed by NNPC, Seplat Petroleum, Shell Petroleum, Total and Nigeria Agip Oil Company (Eni); the 7,000 bcf (200 bcm) oil mining leases (OML) 26, 30 and 42, developed by NNPC, First Hydrocarbon Nigeria (Afren), Shoreline Natual Resources and Neconde Energy; and the 5,000 bcf (140 bcm) OML 13 to support the expansion of the Seven Energy Uquo Gas Plant, developed by Sterling Energy and NNPC.
Nigeria has around 5,600 bcm proven reserves of natural gas. Production increased rapidly between 2000 and 2012 (8%/year) and reached a record level of 41 bcm in 2012. However, the country's production dropped by 10% in 2013 to 37 bcm, due to infrastructure and regulatory issues; it recovered progressively to 45.3 bcm in 2018 (Enerdata early estimates).