Nigeria's oil output suffered another setback after first exports from Chevron's Agbami offshore field were halted and production cut due to technical issues.
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Chevron, the operator of the field, began production at the multi-billion dollar deepwater oilfield in late July and initial exports of the field's light, sweet crude were expected in early September.
The start up of project is expected to boost export volumes from OPEC member Nigeria, where rebels have led a campaign of sabotage on the country's oil sector since early 2006, contributing to a rise in oil prices above $100/ba this year.
Nigeria's output is currently around 2.1 million b/d but total outages remain at 1.2 million b/d due to the Niger Delta crisis and technical and operational issues, according to Platts estimates.
The country's output rose above 2 million b/d in August for the first time in several months and Nigeria regained its position as Africa's top oil producer from Angola.
Companies are still struggling to recoup losses from the violent disruptions, particularly Nigeria's biggest oil producer Shell, which has been the worst-hit by the unrest having lost more than 400,000 b/d from its onshore operations since 2006.
An attack in June on the company's Bonga field, located 75 miles offshore, destroyed the myth that offshore oilfields are safe and operators remain skeptical of the government's ability to end the crisis in Nigeria's oil heartland. Continued financing issues between NNPC and its joint venture partners, future constraints on production due to OPEC allocations and unceasing supply disruptions mean Nigeria is at risk of losing its credibility as a reliable supplier of crude oil.
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