Spanish oil firm Repsol has awarded a drilling contract to offshore drilling contractor Stena Drilling for a drilling campaign in Mexico.
Stena Drilling said Monday that it had signed a contract with Repsol after a competitive tender exercise, for the use of the Stena IceaMax drillship.
Repsol will use the rig to drill next year in Block 29, in the Salina Basin, in Mexico’s deep water. Repsol operates the block, with its partners being Petronas, Wintershall Dea, and PTTEP. According to Bassoe ƶijϻ, the contract is for one firm, and one optional well.
Back in May 2020, Repsol made two "significant" offshore oil discoveries in Block 29, with its Polok-1 and Chinwol-1 exploration wells. Both wells confirmed high-quality reservoirs with excellent properties, encountering net oil pay of 200 meters and 150 meters respectively.
The Spanish firm said at the time it would assess all data obtained in the wells to prepare the discoveries’ appraisal plan.
According to Stena Drilling, under the contract awarded to the Stena IceMax, the offshore drilling program is expected to begin in May/June 2021.
The Stena IceMAX is a dynamically positioned, dual mast ice-class drillship, capable of drilling in water depths up to 10, 000ft (3,048m). The drilling rig is currently in Las Palmas.
The contract with Repsol is Stena Drilling's third one secured in the past month. Earlier this month, Stena announced new contracts for its rigs with Tullow Oil in Suriname and PSE Kinsale Energy in Ireland.