Statoil Awarded Licences in Mexico’s First Round
Statoil has been awarded blocks 1 and 3 in the Salina Basin in the Deepwater exploration tender in the Mexican Round 1. The blocks cover an area of about 5,650km2 in the largely unexplored deepwater areas of the Salina Basin. Statoil will be the operator of blocks 1 and 3, at 33.4% equity, with partners BP and Total participating equally with the remaining equity. The licences were awarded in a competitive bid round. A total of ten deepwater blocks were on offer, with four in the Perdido Area and six in the Saline Basin. The blocks awarded are in water depths ranging from about 900 – 3,200m. The bid round is Mexico’s first ever tender for deepwater exploration acreage.
Mexico’s National Hydrocarbon Commission (CNH) began with the bid proposals for the four blocks in the Perdido Fold Belt, covering 8,218km2, located about 320km south of Texas and 250km from Matamoros. In the end, all four blocks were awarded. China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) has won Block 1, covering 1,678km2 divided into two areas, in 2,515m water depth and Block 4, covering 1,877km2in 1,264m water depth. The consortium of Total E&P and ExxonMobil was the only bidder for Block 2 covering 2,977km2 in 3,237m water depth. The consortium of Chevron (as operator), Pemex and Inpex has won Block 3, covering 1,687km2 in 1,005m water depth. According to CNH, there is an average success ration of 43% in the Perdido Fold Belt, making it one of the most investment attractive deepwater exploration areas in the world.
The Salina basin, consists of six blocks in the southeast Gulf of Mexico, covering 15,617 km2. A total of four out of the six blocks were awarded by CNH. The consortium of PC Carigali (as operator) and Sierra Oil & Gas has won Block 4 covering 2,359km2 in 1,196m water depth. The consortium of Murphy Oil (operator, 30%), Ophir (23.33%), PC Carigali (23.34%), and Sierra Offshore Exploration (23.33%) has won Block 5 covering 2,573km2 in 848m water depth. Block 2 and 6 received no bids.