2 0 1 3 . ▁With ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁res erves , ▁Niger ▁anticip ates ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁its ▁production ▁from ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁bar rel s ▁per ▁day ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁with ▁ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁bar rel s ▁per ▁day ▁for ▁exports ▁via ▁Ch ad ▁and ▁Cam ero on . ▁ ▁Ex pl oration ▁▁ ▁The ▁history ▁of ▁oil ▁expl oration ▁and ▁discovery ▁in ▁Niger ▁goes ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁The ▁first ▁tang ible ▁discovery ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁at ▁the ▁T int ou ma ▁field ▁near ▁Mad ama . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Ag adem ▁Bas in , ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁north - east ▁of ▁the ▁Niger , ▁that ▁expl oration ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁with ▁first ▁Tex aco ▁then ▁Es so ▁prospect ing ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁Ten ▁well s ▁will ▁be ▁d ril led ▁in ▁Ag adem ▁block ▁which ▁covers ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁. ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁El f ▁Aqu itaine ▁held ▁the ▁permit ▁on ▁the ▁Ag adem ▁block ▁followed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁by ▁Es so ▁and ▁El f , ▁operating ▁in ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Es so ▁and ▁El f ▁d ug ▁five ▁well s ▁of ▁which ▁four ▁resulted ▁in ▁discover