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Nigeria’s drive to boost crude oil production and strengthen export earnings has received a significant lift from the increasing contributions of its newest crude grades, Utapate and Cawthorne, according to the latest production figures released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
An analysis of the commission’s crude oil and condensate production data by Saturday PUNCH revealed that the two emerging crude streams jointly contributed approximately 12.16 million barrels between January and May 2026, reinforcing the country’s broader strategy to expand its export portfolio and improve foreign exchange inflows.
The figures showed that Utapate crude, introduced into the international market in 2024, accounted for 8.75 million barrels during the five-month period, while the newly launched Cawthorne blend added 3.41 million barrels.
Despite its growing output, Utapate has yet to meet the ambitious production target set by operators and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
Data indicated that the crude grade recorded average daily production of 55,190 barrels in January, rising steadily to 59,170 barrels per day by May. However, the field remained more than 20,000 barrels short of the 80,000 barrels-per-day target projected for the end of 2025.
The production shortfall narrowed gradually over the period, declining from 24,810 barrels per day in January to 20,830 barrels daily in May, reflecting ongoing efforts to ramp up operations.
Utapate, produced from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 13 in Akwa Ibom State, officially commenced production in May 2024. At the launch of the crude blend in July of that year, the Managing Director of NNPC E&P Limited, Nicholas Foucart, had expressed confidence that ongoing development projects would significantly increase production capacity.
The blend gained international attention following the shipment of its maiden 950,000-barrel cargo to Spain. Industry stakeholders have highlighted its low sulphur content of 0.0655 per cent and reduced carbon footprint resulting from flare gas elimination as key advantages in the global market.
According to Foucart, OML 13 holds reserves estimated at 330 million barrels of crude oil, 45 million barrels of condensate, and 3.5 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Meanwhile, Cawthorne crude, one of Nigeria’s latest export grades, recorded a strong production trajectory during the review period.
The NUPRC data showed that the blend’s average daily output increased from 12,340 barrels in January to 30,970 barrels in April, before moderating slightly to 28,940 barrels per day in May.
The monthly production volumes translated into 382,540 barrels in January, 460,600 barrels in February, 743,070 barrels in March, 929,100 barrels in April, and 897,140 barrels in May.
NNPC Ltd recently confirmed the commencement of exports from the Cawthorne blend, describing the development as a major step toward increasing Nigeria’s crude production capacity and enhancing the competitiveness of its export streams.
In a statement, the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, disclosed that the maiden cargo of approximately 950,000 barrels was transported aboard the MT Eburones vessel to the Netherlands.
He explained that the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) facility, located offshore Bonny in Rivers State, would improve crude evacuation from OML 18, strengthen export reliability and enhance operational efficiency.
Odeh noted that Cawthorne crude possesses an API gravity of 36.4, placing it within the category of light, sweet crude comparable to Bonny Light, making it highly attractive to international refiners because of its superior petrol and diesel yields.
The emergence of Utapate and Cawthorne highlights Nigeria’s determination to diversify its crude export basket and maximise revenue opportunities within the global energy market. However, the latest production figures also underscore the operational hurdles that producers must overcome to transform ambitious targets into sustained output growth.
The development comes as the NUPRC recently announced that Nigeria exceeded its Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) crude production quota in May 2026.
According to the regulator, the country produced an average of 1.53 million barrels of crude oil per day, representing 102 per cent of its OPEC allocation of 1.5 million barrels daily.
When condensate production of 170,446 barrels per day is included, Nigeria’s total oil output reached 1.70 million barrels per day, reinforcing its position as Africa’s largest oil producer and offering renewed optimism for improved government revenues and foreign exchange earnings.
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