ExxonMobil Affiliate Declares Force Majeure at Nigeria's Key Oil Field

Nigeria's oil production and revenue are at risk due to a force majeure declared by Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), an affiliate of ExxonMobil, on crude exports from its Erha deepwater field.

The Erha field, located about 100 kilometers offshore in the western Niger Delta, is one of Nigeria's largest and most strategic deepwater assets with a production capacity of about 200,000 barrels per day. The field is a major contributor to the country's daily crude oil output and export earnings.

The declaration comes at a critical time for the Federal Government, which is banking on higher crude oil production to boost revenue, strengthen foreign exchange earnings, and fund key provisions of the 2026 budget. The government has been making steady progress in raising crude oil production after years of losses caused by oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and underinvestment.

EEPNL confirmed that the force majeure was declared following unexpected damage to the floating buoy supporting crude export operations at the Erha Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility. The company is actively working to restore export operations, but has not speculated on the recovery timeline.