As Nigeria’s oil and gas sector grapples with declining investment, aging infrastructure, and the global pivot toward cleaner energy, some indigenous producers are quietly redefining what resilience looks like. Among them is Newcross Exploration and Production Limited (NewcrossEP)—a company steadily rewriting its growth story through innovation, community trust, and a bold approach to operational efficiency.
In an exclusive conversation with Dipo Oladehinde, Sodje Victor, Asset Manager at NewcrossEP, shared how the company is restoring legacy wells, expanding production, and embedding sustainability across its value chain—preparing to thrive beyond 2025.
Turning Risk into Opportunity: The Crude Shipping Advantage
In a country where pipeline vandalism and crude theft have long haunted operators, NewcrossEP is charting a new path—one that bypasses traditional vulnerabilities. The company’s crude shipping operation, developed as an alternative evacuation route, has become a game changer.
“Our most innovative response to historic risks has been crude shipping,” Victor explained. “It has virtually eliminated crude losses—the most significant source of value erosion on the asset.”
What began as a stopgap measure has evolved into a streamlined, cost-efficient architecture. Today, the NewcrossEP/NNPCL Joint Venture uses this model to transport crude directly to export terminals, sidestepping the threats of vandalism and sabotage that plague pipeline routes. The result: improved reliability, lower losses, and stronger cash flow.
Defying the Odds: Restoring Old Wells, Powering New Growth
Despite the headwinds facing Nigeria’s oil sector, NewcrossEP has achieved a 33% increase in production in 2025—a remarkable feat in a period marked by operational uncertainty and rising costs.
Victor credits this success to strategic risk-taking and technical resilience. “The oil and gas business is about risk-taking—high risk, high reward,” he said. “Our team’s experience and creativity made the difference.”
The company’s Ekulama-12 well, first drilled more than five decades ago and last active in 2003, was recently brought back to life through a meticulous reactivation program. The process involved integrity checks, wellbore cleanouts, completion repairs, and new flowline tie-ins.
The result: a rejuvenated asset and a proven model for reviving other idle wells across the company’s portfolio. “Ekulama-12 provides a blueprint for revitalizing aged wells,” Victor noted. “We now understand the challenges better and can plan future interventions more efficiently.”
Meanwhile, the Awoba NW-3 drilling project—NewcrossEP’s first new well since 2019—overcame multiple challenges, including sidetracking issues, to achieve successful completion. Both operations have since contributed significantly to the company’s growing output.
Rigless Interventions: Efficiency in a Tight Market
In today’s capital-constrained environment, NewcrossEP is combining technical discipline with financial prudence. The company has embraced rigless interventions—a faster, more cost-effective alternative to traditional drilling—to extend production life and minimize decline.
“Rigless interventions provide low-cost, quick wins,” Victor explained. “They may not generate the same long-term value as new wells, but they’re effective in maintaining production stability and incremental returns.”
Each project, he added, undergoes rigorous economic evaluation to ensure the best risk-adjusted returns.
Embedding ESG: From Compliance to Commitment
Beyond production numbers, NewcrossEP’s story is one of transformation rooted in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. The company was among the first indigenous producers to establish Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) in full compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)—a move that formalized and deepened its relationship with host communities.
“We’ve recorded zero incidents of community interference,” Victor said proudly. “Our trust model ensures equitable benefit distribution and transparency.”
NewcrossEP’s ESG framework also aligns with IFRS S2 and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) standards, meeting international expectations for environmental accountability.
On the environmental front, the company is implementing a flare-out project to capture low-pressure associated gas and investing in the Awoba Non-Associated Gas (NAG) development—both central to its long-term emissions reduction and energy efficiency goals.
Beyond 2025: Scaling Up for a Sustainable Future
Looking ahead, NewcrossEP is positioning for growth that aligns with both national and global energy objectives. The company is expanding its drilling campaign across its operated assets, aiming to reach 100,000 barrels of oil per day within five to seven years.
“Beyond 2025, our focus is on sustainable growth through Awoba North-West field development, infill drilling, and gas commercialisation,” Victor revealed. “We’re also committed to achieving complete flare-out across all facilities to comply with global net-zero standards.”
He added that NewcrossEP’s long-term strategy includes energy diversification—leveraging gas as a transitional fuel while preparing for a cleaner energy future.
A Changing Industry, a Steadfast Vision
With international oil companies divesting and the Nigerian government pushing to boost national production by one million barrels per day, the upstream sector is in flux. Yet, Victor sees opportunity in this transformation.
“The next decade is strategic for Nigeria’s energy transition,” he said. “The upstream will evolve toward more efficient, indigenous-led operations driven by decarbonisation and digital innovation. NewcrossEP intends to be at the forefront of that shift.”
By blending local expertise, technological innovation, and strong community relations, NewcrossEP is demonstrating that indigenous operators can thrive—responsibly and profitably—in a rapidly changing energy landscape.