Beacon advances Monument drilling, brings second Zephyrus well online in Gulf of Mexico
Beacon Offshore Energy has reported that it has reached key milestones across two of its operated deepwater developments in the US Gulf of Mexico, including completing a first development well at Monument and starting production from a second well at Zephyrus.
At the Monument Field in Walker Ridge Block 315, Beacon drilled the first development well to a total depth of 32,250 ft, encountering 245 ft of net oil pay in Lower Wilcox reservoirs, in line with pre-drill expectations. The company will now proceed with drilling a second well followed by completion activities on both wells, with first oil targeted before the end of 2026.
The Monument development will be tied back via a 17-mile subsea system to the Beacon-operated Shenandoah floating production system, which is designed to serve as a regional host for multiple Walker Ridge fields. Beacon’s partners in the project include Navitas Petroleum and Talos Energy.
Separately, Beacon reported that production from the Zephyrus #2 well in Mississippi Canyon Block 759 began in late April 2026. The well, completed earlier this year, is producing from Miocene reservoirs and complements Zephyrus #1, which started up in late 2025. Together, the wells are expected to deliver peak production of more than 20,000 boe/d.
The Zephyrus development is tied back to Shell-operated subsea infrastructure, with processing handled on the Olympus platform in the Mars corridor. Partners on the project include Houston Energy, HEQ II, Red Willow Offshore, Westlawn Americas Offshore, and Murphy Exploration & Production.
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