Mexico’s Hokchi Energy readies 2nd platform to open 2021 spudding campaign

Construcciones Mecánicas Monclova (Commsa) has completed construction of a second platform for Argentine oil and gas player Pan American Energy’s (PAE) Hokchi project off the coast of Mexican state Tabasco.

The 4,500t central platform joins the previously completed 1,730t satellite platform for deployment at the project, which officially began its full development phase last Friday, even though it spudded its first production well back in May.

Hokchi, developed by PAE’s subsidiary Hokchi Energy, marks the second time a private company moves from the exploration to the development stage in Mexico’s oil and gas sector, according to energy minister Rocío Nahle. 

Nahle made the comment via Twitter after an inauguration event she attended with PAE’s CEO Marcos Bulgheroni and the CEO of Mexican NOC Pemex, Octavio Romero Oropeza, who attended on behalf of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

The Mexican government “guarantees and recognizes the work and investment of this consortium,” said Nahle, who has had a strained relationship with the private sector as minister.

The Hokchi project has so far required US$1.3bn in investments, which includes the construction of both platforms, building 100km of marine pipelines and conducting initial evaluation and exploration activities, among others.

PAE expects to spud five production and two injection wells in 2021 and reach a production of 14,000b/d during the year, with further activity slated for 2022. 

Hokchi Energy won the 263km2 area, Block 31 in the oil-rich Cuencas del Sureste, in 2018's auction Round 3.1. In total, the field is expected to produce some 148Mboe (million barrels of oil equivalent).