TotalEnergies begins production from Ikike field in Nigeria

French energy major TotalEnergies has started production from the Ikike field in Nigeria, the company said on Monday.

The field is expected to deliver peak production of 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the end of 2022, at a time when energy supplies are tight amid soaring demand. The European Commission said earlier in July that the European Union was seeking additional gas supplies from Nigeria as the bloc prepares for potential Russian supply cuts.

According to a plan shared by TotalEnergies executives earlier this month, the Ikike field would be connected to the 200,000bpd-capacity Egina deepwater storage facility in Nigeria.

The planned production comes at a time when the European Commission has urged EU member states to cut their gas use by 15% from August to March. The target would initially be voluntary, but would become mandatory if the Commission declared an emergency, the EC said.

The EU imports 14% of its total LNG supplies from Nigeria and there is potential to more than double this, according to senior EU officials, who have said that oil and gas output in Nigeria is being throttled by theft and vandalism of pipelines. Such incidents have left Nigeria LNG Ltd's terminal at Bonny Island operating at 60% capacity, they said.