French oil & gas giant Total SA (NYSE: TOT) has begun production at the Usan field offshore of Nigerial. Total owns 20% of the production and is the operator of the field. Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) and Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) each owns 30% of the field and Nigeria’s Nexen Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. owns the remaining 10%.
At full production the Usan field is expected to pump 180,000 barrels/day from 42 total wells.
Total said that it produced 290,000 barrels/day from Nigeria in 2011 from both operated and non-operated fields. The company plans to begin development on another offshore field, Egina, in the same lease block.