Petralon Energy Advances Crude Production at Dawes Island Field
Nigeria’s indigenous upstream operator, Petralon Energy, has commenced production at the Dawes Island field in the eastern Niger Delta for the second consecutive year, successfully bringing the DI-3 well online approximately five months after activating its predecessor. This rapid pace underscores an impressive drilling strategy, particularly for an independent operator in the African market.
According to a recent company announcement, the DI-3 well has consistently contributed an average of 2,800 barrels of oil per day (bopd) since its commissioning on March 14, 2026. This addition has elevated the field’s total production to around 4,800 bopd.
Recently, Nigeria’s crude oil production reached 1.71 million barrels per day, marking its highest level in five years, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
This achievement follows the launch of DI-2 in October 2025, which was the first oil production from the field after Petralon Energy acquired the site through its subsidiary, Petralon 54, in 2021. At that time, the acreage was entirely non-producing.
Petralon Energy’s founder and CEO, Ahonsi Unuigbe, remarked on the company’s accomplishments at Dawes Island, stating that their success stemmed from a strong belief in the capability of Nigerians to develop and manage world-class energy assets. This conviction, once considered bold, has now been validated.
The company has successfully exported over 350,000 barrels from the field via the Bonny oil and gas terminal, located about 30 kilometers away. Notably, DI-3 was executed following the company’s stringent safety protocols, resulting in zero lost time incidents.
Dawes Island, situated approximately 15 kilometers from Port Harcourt, encompasses around 46 square kilometers and is estimated to hold 17.6 million barrels of recoverable oil reserves, with Petralon 54 owning a 100% interest in the area.
Currently, with two operational production wells, Petralon Energy is in the early stages of a phased development program targeting the complete extraction of the field’s reserves. The recent completions position Petralon among a new generation of indigenous operators who are transitioning from license holders to active producers, aligning with Nigeria’s broader initiative to transfer upstream assets to local entities.
The Nigerian government’s ongoing divestment strategy by large international corporations is facilitating this transformative process, opening doors for businesses ready to invest capital and resources where bigger players have exited.
Unuigbe emphasized the importance of perseverance after the completion of DI-2, stating that the determination of the Petralon team was crucial for the progression to DI-3. He credited their achievements to the robust collaborations fostered with host communities, regulatory bodies, and partners, highlighting that this is only the beginning of Dawes Island’s potential.
