The Sèmè field, lying in shallow waters off Benin’s southeastern coast near the Nigerian border, was once a modest producer but has been dormant since the late 1990s. The project represents a major push by Beninese authorities to revive the nation’s upstream oil sector and broaden its economic base.
In a statement, Akrake said that its drilling campaign, which includes two horizontal production wells and an exploratory well intended to assess deeper, untapped reservoirs, ran into complex shale formations that proved unstable, prompting equipment setbacks and repeated restarts. With newly gathered geological data, engineers adjusted their approach, allowing the AK-2H well to advance into the reservoir zone.
Facilities critical to production are already in place offshore. The Stella Energy 1 mobile production unit and the Kristina floating storage and offloading vessel have been deployed at the field, signaling readiness to begin crude handling once drilling is complete.
Officials said the initial production rate could plateau at roughly 15,000 barrels per day if the schedule holds. Results from the exploratory well might also inform plans to tap deeper hydrocarbon zones, potentially extending the field’s productive life.
Akrake holds a 76% interest in the development, with the government of Benin owning 15 percent and local firm Octogone Trading holding the remaining share.
