Murphy details US Gulf of Mexico, offshore Côte d’Ivoire drilling goals
Murphy Oil plans to drill near-field exploration wells shortly on two prospects in the US Gulf of Mexico.
Cello #1 and Banjo #1 are relatively low-risk wells, the company said in a results statement.
Preparations continue for drilling Chinook #8, a high-impact well that Murphy believes could come online in the second half of next year, at an initial rate of 15,000 MMboe/d.
In March of this year, a subsidiary of Murphy Oil signed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the FPSO BW Pioneer from BW Offshore for $125 million. The FPSO will remain at its current location, supporting operations at the Cascade Field (Walker Ridge 206 and 250) and Chinook Field (Walker Ridge 469 and 425) in the Gulf of Mexico. BW Offshore will continue to provide operations and maintenance services under a new five-year reimbursable contract.
During the third quarter, the company completed the Khaleesi #2 and Marmalard #3 workovers and restored both wells to production.
Offshore Côte d’Ivoire, Murphy expects to submit a development plan by year-end for the deepwater Paon Field, discovered by Anadarko. In addition, Murphy aims to spud wells in the current quarter on the Civette and Caracal exploration prospects, with respective potential resources of 440 MMboe to 1,000 MMboe and 150 MMboe to 360 MMboe.
These will be followed by a third well next year on the 340-MMboe to 850-MMboe prospect Bubale.
Offshore Vietnam, the jacket was installed for the LDV-A platform for the company’s Lac Da Vang (Golden Camel) field development, and the first development well spudded ahead of schedule.
Fabrication of the topsides, the floating storage and offloading vessel’s hull and turret, pipelines, and flexible risers are all progressing as planned, and the company expects first oil sometime in fourth-quarter 2026.
Murphy also spudded the offshore Hai Su Vang-2X (Golden SeaL Lion) appraisal well early last month, aimed at tightening or potentially increasing the current reserves range estimate of 170 MMboe to 430 MMboe.
In addition, the company is assessing development options for the Lac Da Hong (Pink Camel) discovery.
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.