The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Friday said it has revoked the operating licence of Oritsemeyin Rig.
The NUPRC’s Head of Media and Strategic Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, in a statement, said the commission directed it to cease all operations upon the completion of its current well operations.
Mr Akinkuotu said, revocation notice is contained in a letter dated 11 September, addressed to Selective Marine Services Limited (SMSL) and signed by the Commission Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe.
Reason for revocation
The NUPRC said the decision followed a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the drilling of UDIBE-2 wellbore during which a kick was recorded, resulting in several Non-Productive Time (NPT) with consequential cost and a forced well sidetrack.
A kick on an oil rig is the unwanted flow of formation fluids (oil, gas, or water) into the wellbore due to a temporary pressure imbalance, where the pressure inside the wellbore becomes lower than the formation pressure.
This phenomenon, if left unmanaged, according to the commission, can lead to a potentially catastrophic uncontrolled release of fluids called a blowout.
Subsequently, Mr Akinkuotu said the NUPRC in accordance with Section 97 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, issued a formal notice of culpability via a letter dated 5 June 2025 with a timeline of 21 days followed by a reminder dated 9 July 2025 to ensure an amicable resolution which was not achieved even beyond the stipulated time.
“Consequent upon the foregoing and pursuant to the relevant powers conferred on the commission under the extant Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the annual licence to operate granted to Selective Marine Services Limited for the Oritsemeyin Rig is hereby revoked,” the NUPRC said.
Disqualified from renewal
According to the statement, the NUPRC also disqualified the Oritsemeyin Rig from all renewal protocols in strict compliance with the applicable provisions of the law forthwith.
The NUPRC noted that this action is in line with the PIA, 2021 which empowers the commission to ensure compliance with good oilfield and international best industry practices, operational safety and optimisation as well as promote technical excellence and preserve commercial and environmental sustainability.
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The Rig
Oritsetimeyin Rig is a Friede and Goldman self-elevating cantilever jack-up drilling rig built in 2008 for operating in deep water (up to 3,000 feet) and rated for a drilling depth of 30,000 feet.
Its design allows it to drill multiple wells on a single platform without needing to move.