Erin Energy targets double output as Pacific drillship reaches Oyo

Oil company Erin Energy on Tuesday announced the arrival of the Pacific Drilling-owned drillship, the Pacific Bora, to the Oyo field offshore Nigeria. 

Erin executed a drilling services contract with Pacific Drilling for the use of the Pacific Bora back in March. Under the contract, the drillship is working under a base operating rate of $195,000 per day.

Erin Energy plans to use Pacific Bora to drill the Oyo-9 well on the Oyo field in deepwater offshore Nigeria.

While previously expected to start in mid-June, the Oyo-9 well drilling is now expected to begin in ten days. According to the oil company, this well will double its production, contributing an additional 6,000 to 7,000 barrels per day to current production.

The Pacific Bora is a sixth generation double-hulled drillship. Erin has the option to drill up to two additional wells.

If exercised, the rig will be used to drill two of its offshore Nigeria exploration prospects in the prolific Miocene geological zone, which has been proven highly prolific in neighboring blocks, the company concluded.

As far as Nigerian assets go, Erin Energy has a 100 percent interest in offshore Oil Mining Leases 120 and 121. The OML 120 contains the Oyo Field which is located some 75 kilometers (46 miles) from the coast in water depths ranging from 200 to 500 meters. The Oyo field started production in December 2009, and the wells are connected to the Armada Perdana FPSO.