Offshore oil development plans at Benin’s Sèmè field have suffered a setback after technical complications disrupted drilling operations, forcing a delay to the long-anticipated production start-up.
Akrake Petroleum, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lime Petroleum Holding, which itself is 89.74% owned by Singapore-based Rex International Holding, confirmed that the challenges have pushed first oil beyond the previously targeted timeline.
The issues emerged during drilling at the first of three planned wells at the Sèmè field, located offshore Benin in Block 1. Akrake Petroleum, the field operator, commenced drilling in August 2025 using Borr Drilling’s Gerd jack-up rig, a modern offshore drilling unit supplied by Crystal Offshore Middle East. The campaign was designed to restart production at the mature shallow-water field.
Block 1 spans approximately 551 square kilometres, with water depths ranging between 20 and 30 metres, making it suitable for jack-up rig operations. However, in its latest operational update, Rex International Holding acknowledged that the drilling programme has encountered “further significant technical issues.” While drilling activities are ongoing as teams work to resolve the problems, the company has confirmed that oil production will no longer begin in 2025.
Akrake Petroleum Benin holds a 76% working interest in the Sèmè field and serves as operator, playing a central role in the redevelopment of one of West Africa’s historic offshore oil assets. Prior to the drilling setbacks, key infrastructure milestones had been progressing as planned. The mobile offshore production unit (MOPU) was scheduled for timely delivery, while the floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel underwent dry docking following a contract awarded in April, both aligned with a Q4 2025 start-up.
The Sèmè field has a long and notable history. Originally discovered by Union Oil in 1969, it was later developed by Norway’s Saga Petroleum. Between 1982 and 1998, the field produced around 22 million barrels of oil before operations were halted amid weak oil prices in the late 1990s.
Despite the current offshore drilling challenges, the Sèmè redevelopment remains a strategically important project for Benin’s energy sector and for Rex International’s African portfolio, as stakeholders look ahead to a revised production timeline.
