Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited says it has resumed production at the Bonga deepwater field following the completion of turnaround maintenance on the Bonga floating production, storage, and offloading vessel.

In a statement on Friday, the company said production restarted on March 6, 2026, after the maintenance project was completed 11 days ahead of schedule and without any safety incident.

The exercise, which began on February 1, 2026, was reportedly carried out by more than 1,000 personnel offshore, with over 95 per cent of them Nigerians involved in maintenance, engineering, operations, inspection, and construction activities.

According to the company, thousands of other workers also supported the project from onshore locations, demonstrating the growing capacity of Nigerian professionals in offshore oil and gas operations.

The Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, Ronald Adams, described the successful completion of the project as a demonstration of the dedication of the workforce and the support of 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.

“The achievement not only secures the long-term integrity of the Bonga FPSO but also positions us strongly for the successful delivery of the Bonga North project, which will leverage the improved reliability of the FPSO,” Adams said.

He noted that 55 companies were involved in executing the project, 43 of which were wholly Nigerian firms. He added that eight of the 12 international service providers engaged in the project maintain operational bases in Nigeria, contributing to knowledge transfer and increased local investments.

Adams also acknowledged the role of key industry stakeholders in the successful completion of the maintenance exercise.

“We acknowledge the support of several stakeholders towards the successful execution of the exercise, including the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, and our partners,” he said.