Nigeria’s crude oil exports are set to decline by about 225,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February following the shutdown of the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel for scheduled turnaround maintenance.
The development was confirmed by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo), operator of the Bonga field, in a statement issued on Sunday.
The shutdown affects one of Nigeria’s largest and most strategic deepwater production assets and comes at a time when the country is working to stabilise crude oil output and strengthen foreign exchange inflows from exports.
According to Shell, maintenance activities have already commenced on the Bonga FPSO and will temporarily halt production, with output expected to resume in March once the exercise is completed.
SNEPCo described the turnaround maintenance as a statutory and critical exercise aimed at safeguarding the long-term integrity of the facility and sustaining production performance.
“The scheduled maintenance is designed to reduce unplanned deferments, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the asset’s overall resilience,” said SNEPCo Managing Director, Ronald Adams.
“We expect to resume production in March following the successful completion of the turnaround,” Adams added.
He also recalled that on February 1, 2023, the Bonga asset produced its one billionth barrel of oil since operations began in 2005, underscoring its significance in Nigeria’s deepwater oil portfolio.
Shell noted that the current maintenance programme is expected to position the Bonga FPSO for another 15 years of reliable operations, reinforcing its role in Nigeria’s oil production mix.
Background of Bonga Oil Field
The Bonga FPSO is one of Nigeria’s most critical offshore production facilities and has been a steady contributor to national output for nearly two decades.
Located about 120 kilometres offshore Nigeria in water depths exceeding 1,000 metres, the facility began production in 2005 and marked a major milestone in Nigeria’s deepwater oil development.
The last turnaround maintenance on the Bonga FPSO was carried out in October 2022, highlighting the importance of periodic shutdowns to protect the long-term integrity of high-capacity offshore assets.
Such maintenance exercises are standard in offshore oil production, particularly for ageing but strategically important facilities.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has struggled in recent years to maintain output levels due to ageing infrastructure, oil theft, and underinvestment. As a result, major maintenance programmes like the Bonga turnaround are increasingly seen as essential for sustaining production from mature fields while new projects are developed.
Scope of the Maintenance Work
SNEPCo said the scope of the ongoing turnaround maintenance is extensive, covering both surface and subsea components of the asset.
According to the company, the work includes:
- Inspections and re-certification exercises
- Regulatory and compliance checks
- Integrity upgrades and engineering modifications
- Subsea assurance activities to support long-term production reliability
Adams also highlighted the growing strategic importance of the Bonga FPSO following the Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2024 on the Bonga North project, noting that the maintenance will help prepare the facility to handle additional production volumes expected from the subsea tie-back development.
