Offshore staff
EDINBURGH, UK – Cairn Energy is preparing to start exploratory drilling this month on block 9 offshore Mexico.
The semisub Maersk Developer will drill the Alom and Bitol prospects in the Sureste basin, where to date IOCs have drilled only five wells, Cairn claimed.
If either leads to a discovery, the company plans swift follow-up appraisal drilling. And during 4Q, Cairn will partner with Eni on wells on offshore blocks 7 and 10.
The company also operates block 15 in the shallow water Tampico-Misantla basin, northwest of the Sureste basin interests.
Last month, Mexico’s Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos approved the exploration plan which involved purchasing 3D seismic data and an environmental baseline survey, both of which have been completed.
Offshore Suriname, a 4,500-km (1,737-sq mi) 2D seismic survey was acquired earlier this year over Cairn’s 100%-owned license, and fasttrack processing has since finished.
The company will incorporate the data into block-wide interpretations in order to update the prospect inventory and determine any future 3D seismic acquisition.
Earlier this year Cairn joined Equinor in exploration blocks in the Sandino basin, offshore Nicaragua’s Pacific coast.
Recently the partners completed acquisition and processing of a 3D seismic survey, with the results to be used to support potential exploration drilling.
In the UK North Sea, the semisubmersible Stena Don will soon spud Cairn’s second operated well in the sector, targeting the 150-MMbbl Chimera prospect in license P2312.
Under the UK’s Frontier 31st Offshore Licensing Round, the company secured 100% of the Mane license close to Chimera, and a 50% operated stake in the East Orkney basin license.
Next year, the company’s line-up includes two firm exploratory wells in UK and Norwegian waters.
09/10/2019
