Mexico greenlights updated Eni shallow water exploration plan

Mexican hydrocarbons commission CNH has approved an exploration plan modification requested by Eni Mexico for the A10 contract off the coast of Tabasco state.

The company expects to invest up to US$126mn by 2022 in the incremental scenario, but could scale back investment down to a minimum of US$70.5mn under the base scenario, depending on the area’s prospects.

Eni has so far spudded one well in the area – the Saasken exploration well in the south-western limit and is now looking to extend that discovery towards the rest of the area, CNH said during an extraordinary session on Thursday.

The updated plan will focus on evaluating the area’s potential based on the first Saasken well and Eni will conduct further seismic studies and spud up to four new wells in addition to the original plan’s three (including Saasken), as well as reschedule some of the activity contained in the previous version of the plan.

The A10 contract is surrounded by areas operated by Repsol, Capricorn, Talos and Pemex.

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In related news, local infrastructure and industrial firm Protexa completed the spudding of the Yaxché 61 well off the coast of Tabasco.

The company made use of two platforms and spudded to a depth of 4,352m, according to local press reports.

The firm plans to spud five additional wells in the area.