Nigeria is set for a fresh lift in crude production as the EMEM Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel begins its final voyage from Dubai to the Okwok Field offshore Akwa Ibom.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) disclosed the progress after its Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, carried out a full inspection of the facility at Drydocks World. The regulator said the project aligns with its ongoing push to scale national output under the “Project One Million Barrels” initiative.

Originally built as the Nordic Mistral tanker, the vessel has been converted into a production unit capable of handling 40,000 barrels of oil per day, alongside water treatment, gas processing and injection systems. It can also house up to 100 offshore workers.

Komolafe said the FPSO’s readiness shows growing operational confidence in local operators and encouraged Oriental Energy Resources, owners of the Okwok Field, to deepen their participation in future bid rounds.

Oriental Energy’s Executive Vice-Chairman, Goni Sheikh, added that project teams have worked continuously in recent months to meet the commissioning timeline.

Once the FPSO is installed and commissioned offshore, the Okwok Field is expected to add new barrels to national production, supporting NUPRC’s wider target of increasing output and reducing downtime across assets.