ExxonMobil and its partners have committed USD1bn to the development of their Usan Infill Project, located offshore Nigeria (NUPRC press release, 08/07/2026). The project is expected to add around 40 kb/d of oil production once it reaches first production within 18 months, once seismic studies are developed.
The operators are Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria, an affiliate of ExxonMobil, under a production-sharing contract with NNPC. Other partners include Chevron, TotalEnergies and Nexen, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC. According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the investment marks ExxonMobil’s return to drilling activity in Nigeria, with its last drilling campaign dating back to 2016.
The project forms part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to attract upstream investment and increase crude oil output from offshore and onshore assets. In parallel, the NUPRC has awarded 19 exploration licences across deepwater, shallow-water and continental shelf acreage.