Mexico authorises Trion appraisal

BHP set to kick off drilling towards the end of 2018 after finishing Trinidad work. Mexico's oil regulator said this week it has formally authorized Australia's BHP to proceed with an appraisal well at the Trion field, where it is partnered with Pemex through a joint venture. BHP is expected to kick off work at the well later this year with the Transocean drillship Deepwater Invictus after it wraps up the three wells in the deep waters off Trinidad. The company reported a gas discovery at the Victoria-1 well and will next proceed to the Bongos and Concepcion prospects. The delineation well Trion-2DEL has a pre-drill estimate of 946 million barrels of oil equivalent and is approved for a budget of 1.716 billion pesos ($92 million). The National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) also approved seven other wells, six by state oil company Pemex in various parts of the country and one from Lifting MX, one of the operators active in Mexico's first onshore bid offering, Round 1.3. Lifting won approval for a delineation well on the Paso de Oro block. Pemex has also been granted authorization for three wells with unconventional objectives, according to the CNH. They are Pankiwi-1EXP, Lunanco-1EXP and Kaneni-1EXP. Pemex was also authorized to drill the Quesqui-1EXP well on land and the Koban-1DEL delineation well and Mulach-1EXP exploration well in shallow waters.