Our first steps: 1936 - 1979
First Steps
- 1936 - The Royal Dutch/Shell Group founded Shell D'Arcy, the first Shell company in Nigeria.
- November 1938 - Shell D'Arcy was granted Exploration licence to prospect for oil throughout Nigeria
- January 1956 - First successful well drilled at Oloibiri by Shell D'Arcy
- April 1956 - Changed name to Shell-BP Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited
First Oil
- February 1958 – The first shipment of oil from Nigeria
- April 1961 - Shell's Bonny Terminal was commissioned
- September 1971 - Shell's Forcados Terminal was commissioned
Agreements
- April 1973 - First participation agreement; Fed. Govt. acquires 35% shares in the Oil Companies
- April 1974 - Second Participation Agreement; Federal Government increases equity to 55%
- July 1979 - Third Participation Agreement (through NNPC) increases equity to 60%
- August 1979 - Fourth Participation Agreement; BP's share holding nationalised; NNPC = 80%, Shell = 20%
New frontiers: 1979 - 2005
Changes
- December 1979 - Company name changed to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC)
- August 1984 - Agreement consolidating NNPC/Shell Joint Venture
- January 1986 - Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- June 1989 - Fifth Participation Agreement; (NNPC = 60%, Shell = 30%, Elf = 5%, Agip = 5%)
- July 1991 - Signing of Memorandum of Understanding & Joint Venture Operating Agreement
New Frontiers
- April 1993 - Production Sharing Contracts signed - SNEPCO
- July 1993 - Sixth Participation Agreement; (NNPC = 55%, Shell = 30%, Elf = 10%, Agip = 5%)
- April 1995 - SNEPCO starts drilling first Exploration well at Bonga (Nigeria's first deepwater oil field)
- November 1995 - NLNG Final Investment Decision taken
- March 1998 - Shell Nigeria Gas Company established
- December 2002 - Commencement of production from EA field
One Million Barrel Mark
- October 2003 - Achievement of 1 million + barrels of oil per day production from SPDC operations.
A New Face of SPDC
- January 2004 - THE NEW SPDC - A restructuring exercise; Nigerians placed in top positions of Management.
- January 2005 - New SPDC launched, Basil Omiyi appointed first Nigerian MD.
- September 2005 - Basil Omiyi became Country Chair, Nigeria; oversees all Shell Companies in Nigeria as well as Shell interests.
- November 2005 - SNEPCO began oil and Gas production at Bonga
Rebirth: 2006 - 2010
Challenges and Rebirth
- February 2006 – SPDC suspended operations in western Niger Delta due to increasing militant attacks. Production at EA was also suspended due to security concerns.
- June 2006 –The Shell Companies in Nigeria committed to Nigeria Content Development - to maximise the participation of Nigerian businesses in all operations, thereby contributing to the development of Nigeria's industrial capabilities and competences, and supporting the nation's economy.
- January 2008 – Mutiu Sunmonu was appointed as the Managing Director of SPDC.
- March 2008 - Nigeria’s first 4D seismic acquisition in deepwater oil and gas operations was achieved at SNEPCo-operated Bonga field, 120km southwest of the Niger Delta.
Harnessing Nigeria's Gas Resources
- October 2008 – The 240MMscf/d OKOLOMA Gas Plant started supply of the base load gas requirement of (190MMscf/d) gas to the Afam VI Power Plant
Forays into Power
- July 2009 - The Afam VI Combined Cycle Power Plant commenced the supply of 442MW of power, providing additional stability to the National Power Grid.
- July 2010 - The Gbaran Ubie integrated oil and gas project in Bayelsa state produced first gas.