By Olamilekan Abayomi
The NNPC‑Heirs Energies OML 17 joint venture just pulled off a game‑changing feat: they’ve added more than 135 million standard cubic feet per day to Nigeria’s domestic gas supply, a real shot in the arm for the country’s energy scene.
What makes this even cooler is how they did it – a rigless recompletion on a non‑associated gas well that had been shut in because of excess water. Instead of drilling a brand‑new well, they slipped a through‑tubing tool into the existing bore, finished the job safely and in record time, and spent just 15 % of what a fresh drill would have cost.
The result? The JV’s gas output has literally doubled, hitting a peak of 135 MMscf/d – enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the nation.
That surge is already translating into more electricity. Power plants fed by the JV, including First Independent Power Limited, Geometric Power, and TransAfam Power, have seen their combined generation leap from roughly 100 MW to over 350 MW, slashing blackouts and keeping hospitals, schools and factories humming.
Executives are thrilled: Udy Ntia of NNPC praised the partnership and innovation, Osa Igiehon of Heirs Energies highlighted the ingenuity of the 100 % Nigerian team, and Special Adviser Olu Verheijen called it a testament to Nigerian engineering excellence.
All in all, this breakthrough not only boosts domestic gas supply and electricity generation but also sets a new benchmark for cost‑effective, high‑impact field development – a win for Nigeria’s energy security and a model for future upstream projects.
