ExxonMobil finds oil at Tripletail offshore Guyana

Sept. 16, 2019

Offshore staff

IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil and its partners Hess Corp. and CNOOC have made their 14th discovery on the Stabroek block offshore Guyana.

The Tripletail-1 well in the Turbot area encountered about 108 ft (33 m) of a high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. Tripletail-1, drilled in 6,572 ft (2,003 m) of water, is located approximately 3 mi (5 km) northeast of the Longtail discovery. After completion of operations at Tripletail, the drillship Noble Tom Madden will next drill the Uaru-1 well, located about 6 mi (10 km) east of the Liza field.

Mike Cousins, senior vice president of exploration and new ventures at ExxonMobil, said: “This discovery helps to further inform the development of the Turbot area.”

The discovery adds to the estimated recoverable resource of more than 6 Bboe on the Stabroek block.

Exploration and development activities are moving forward elsewhere on the Stabroek block.

The drillship Stena Carron is currently drilling the Ranger-2 well and upon completion will conduct a well test at Yellowtail-1. The drillship Noble Bob Douglas is currently completing development drilling for the Liza Phase 1 project. ExxonMobil will add a fourth drillship, the Noble Don Taylor, next month.

The Liza Phase 1 development remains on schedule to start up by early 2020 and will produce up to 120,000 b/d of oil using the FPSO Liza Destiny, which arrived in Guyana on Aug. 29, 2019.

ExxonMobil approved funding for the Liza Phase 2 development after it received government and regulatory approvals in May 2019. Expected to startup by mid-2022, the project plans to use the FPSO Liza Unity to produce up to 220,000 b/d of oil.

Pending government approvals, a third development, Payara startup could be as early as 2023 and production would reach an estimated 220,000 b/d of oil.

The Stabroek block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 sq km). ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. is operator and holds 45% interest. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30% interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Ltd., holds 25% interest.

09/16/2019