24-05-02 Agip Energy Natural Resources (AENR), in partnership with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) has increased its offshore field production with an additional 8,500 bpd. This will raise the company's stake in upstream activities, Mr Antonio Vella, vice chairman/managing director of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) said at the annual end of year party in Lagos. He added that a combined production target of 350,000 bpd has been set for ENI-Agip division companies in Nigeria in 2002.

The addition by AENR raised production level at the Okono field to 18,500 bpd. ENI delivered the first oil from the field in December 2001, 3 months ahead of the production schedule achieved 10,000 bpd in January 2002 from 7 levels in the field with the application of advance drilling technology.
"We have surpassed all expectations at the beginning of this project, now we are expected to produce from 2 levels, now we have a total of 7 levels in the Okono field," Vella said.

The company hopes to achieve 25,000 bpd target for July by the end of this month. The company also raised production from Agbara field last year and is set to achieve new record by streaming fresh oil fields such as Biseni and Samabiri before the end of this year.
Okono field, located on oil mining lease 119, about 56 km offshore was discovered in 1983 with an initial reserve of 56 mm barrels. The discovery of 5 additional oil levels raised the field's reserve to 240 mm bbl, which represents an increase of 328 %.