Koko Maxwella 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company resumes oil production at the Bonga deepwater field after completing scheduled maintenance on the Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.
Production resumes March 6, 2026, with the turnaround maintenance project delivered 11 days ahead of schedule and without safety incidents, according to a company statement.
Managing Director Ronald Adams in a statement on Friday credits the achievement to the professionalism of the workforce and collaboration with partners.
“Completing the turnaround safely and ahead of schedule is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our Nigerian workforce and the helpful support of our partners,” Adams says.
He notes that the successful maintenance will improve the long-term integrity and reliability of the Bonga facility.
The project also strengthens preparations for the Bonga North development, a major offshore expansion project.
The maintenance exercise, which began February 1, 2026, involved 55 companies, including 43 Nigerian firms.
Eight international service providers also maintain operational bases in Nigeria, contributing to technology transfer and local investment.
More than 1,000 offshore personnel, over 95 percent of them Nigerians, participated in engineering, inspection, operations and construction activities.
Thousands of additional workers supported the project from onshore facilities.
Shell acknowledges the support of several regulatory and industry partners, including the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
Officials say the project highlights Nigeria’s growing technical capacity in deepwater oil and gas operations.
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Korede Abdullah 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
