Aberdeen-based Eland Oil & Gas said it was confident of restarting production on the Opuama field in Nigeria before the end of the year.
The new deadline for the project falls short of the expected October launch of the West-African field – a postponement from the original date in the first half of the year.
Eland has blamed delays with contractors and procurement for running behind schedule.
The work on the Opuama Production Facility (OPF), which has been shut down since March 2006, focused on the replacement of all corroded and damaged elements of the infrastructure.
The remaining repairs to the facility are expected to take additional 3-5 weeks and the company is looking to start drilling of six initial development wells early 2014.
“The delays we have experienced are frustrating but not unexpected in a project of this complexity and in the environment in which we are operating,” said Les Blair, the firm’s chief executive.
“The management of Eland have significant experience of working in Nigeria and have established excellent working relationships with NPDC [licence operator] and all of our stakeholders in the license area.
“This will stand the Company in good stead to unlock the value inherent in OML 40, which will be amply demonstrated when the drilling campaign gets underway.”