Uche Cecil Izuora
Nigeria is expecting to add up crude oil production gap that has occurred due to massive theft, low investment after Renaissance Africa Energy Company announced an offshore oil discovery at the JK-004 exploration well in OML 74, with the well encountering approximately 1,000 ft of hydrocarbon-bearing intervals across seven reservoirs containing light oil.
The discovery was announced during the NOG Energy Week Conference & Exhibition 2026 by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, who described the result as an important milestone for the country’s upstream sector.
According to Renaissance, the discovery confirmed high-quality reservoirs and supports the company’s strategy to expand Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resource base. The company said the result reinforces its commitment to increasing reserves, strengthening energy security and advancing future upstream development in partnership with its joint venture partners and regulators.
Tony Attah, the company’s managing director, said in an earlier statement in Port Harcourt that the discovery followed the successful drilling of the JK-004 exploration well located in oil mining lease (OML) 74.
Mr Attah said preliminary evaluation showed that the well encountered about 1,000 feet of hydrocarbon-bearing column across seven reservoirs, describing the discovery as a major milestone in the company’s exploration programme.
According to him, the initial log interpretation and fluid analysis confirmed excellent reservoir quality and the presence of light oil.
He said the discovery demonstrated Renaissance’s commitment to advancing Nigeria’s long-term oil production objectives.
“The success of JK-004, just over one year after assuming operatorship of these assets, demonstrates the strength of our exploration programme,” he said.
The managing director said the achievement reflected effective collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), TotalEnergies and Agip Energy and Natural Resources.
Mr Attah also commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the company’s joint venture partners for their support.
“Their strategic guidance contributed to value delivery across the joint venture assets,” he added.
Also speaking, Renaissance vice president of xploration and chief explorer, Dr Johnbosco Uche, attributed the discovery to technical excellence and disciplined exploration efforts.
He said the newly discovered well provided a strong foundation for accelerated field development, with clear pathways to early production and value realisation.
“The well’s proximity to existing facilities will support rapid commercialisation of the discovery,” he said.
The chief executive of the NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the discovery was consistent with the commission’s goal of increasing Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves.
He pledged continued regulatory support to create an enabling environment for investment and growth in the oil and gas sector.
On his part, the executive vice president, upstream, NNPCL, Udobong Ntia, congratulated Renaissance joint venture team for the successful execution of the project.
He said the achievement supported efforts to sustain the growth of the reserves and pledged continued support for exploration activities.
OML 74 is a large shallow-water block in the eastern Niger Delta off Nigeria’s coast.
Renaissance, which now owns Shell’s former onshore and shallow-water assets, operates Nigeria’s largest upstream joint venture with 18 oil leases, two export terminals and an FSPO vessel.