Murphy Oil prepares for busy exploration schedule in US Gulf, offshore Côte d’Ivoire
Murphy Oil has completed the Samurai #3 and Khaleesi #2 workovers in the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM), according to a presentation accompanying its latest financial results. Both wells are now back in production.
Murphy’s line-up for exploration going forward includes prospects close to its Delta House FPS1 platform.
Cello #1 in Mississippi Canyon 385 should spud in September, followed by Banjo #1 in the same area in October. The company has contracted the Seadrill drillship Sevan Louisiana for a three-well program in the US GoM, which has just gotten underway.
Offshore southern Vietnam, Murphy’s Lac Da Vang (Golden Camel) field development is on schedule for first oil in the second half of next year. The project is developing an estimated resource of 100 MMboe.
The LDV-A platform jacket should be ready for installation in early October.
Murphy’s Lac Da Hong-1X (Pink Camel) discovery in offshore Block 15-1/051, 3 miles southwest of Lac Da Vang, was drilled in 151 ft of water, encountering 106 ft of net oil pay from one reservoir. Early analysis suggests a resource in the range of 30 MMboe to 60 MMboe.
Next month, the company plans to spud the Hai Su Vang 2-X appraisal well on its Hai Su Vang (Golden Sea Lion) discovery in 149 ft of water in Block 15-2/171.
Finally, the company has contracted the drillship Transocean Deepwater Skyros for three high-impact deepwater exploration wells offshore Côte d’Ivoire at $361,000/d.
The first well should start drilling in the fourth quarter on the Civette prospect in Block CI-502 (potentially 440 MMboe to 1,000 MMboe), followed next year by Caracal on Block CI-102 (150– 360 MMboe) and Kobus2 on Block CI-709 (410-1,260 MMboe).
Civette is one of the wells to watch over the remainder of the year that were identified by Westwood Global Energy Group analysts in a recent webinar. It is in the same Tano-Ivorian play that last year delivered Eni’s Calao discovery via the Murene IX well in 2,200 m water depth in Block CI-205. That led to Petrobras negotiating exclusive rights to multiple deepwater blocks with the Côte d’Ivoire government.
According to Westwood’s Bryan Gill, Murphy believes Civette shares the same geology as Murene-IX.
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About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.