Page 6 - LatAmOil Week 12 2023

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Yatzil lies within Block 7 in the southern Gulf of Mexico (Screenshot: Capricorn Energy webpage)

Eni strikes oil at Yatzil field in Block 7

ENI (Italy) has announced a new discovery at confirmed by extensive subsurface data collec-
Yatzil, an exploration prospect within Block tion, the company said.
7, a licence area situated in the Cuenca Salina “The successful result comes after the Saas-
section of the Sureste basin offshore Mexico’s ken and Sayulita discoveries in Block 10 and
Tabasco state. The new find is estimated to con- confirms the value of Eni’s Mexican asset port-
tain approximately 200mn barrels of oil in place folio, contributing to the potential synergic
(OIP). cluster development of several prospects located
The discovery was made in Yatzil-1 EXP, nearby,” Eni said.
the second commitment well drilled at Block 7, Eni is developing Block 7 through a joint
and the eighth successful well drilled by Eni in venture in which in which it has a 45% stake
the Sureste basin. It lies around 65 km from the and serves as operator. The other stakeholders
coast and is 25-30 km away from other discov- are Capricorn Energy of the UK, with 30%, and
eries in the area. Citla Energy of Mexico, with 25%.
Eni utilised the Valaris DPS5 semi-sub- The Italian major has stakes in eight blocks
mersible drilling rig to drill the well to a total in the Sureste basin and is involved in a number
depth (TD) of 2,441 metres in 284-metre-deep of other Mexican projects, including the Area 1
water. According to the Italian major, Yatzil-1 phased development scheme, which is expected
EXP encountered more than 40 metres of net to be completed by 2025. It began production
pay sands containing good-quality crude oil at Area 1 last year and is currently extracting
within the Upper Miocene horizons with excel- more than 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per
lent petrophysical properties. These finds were day (boepd) there. ™

VENEZUELA
Maduro appoints new petroleum minister

VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro focused on the company. Thus far, several gov-
revealed on March 21 that he had appointed ernment officials and judges have been arrested
Pedro Rafael Tellechea, the head of the national in connection with the probe, and sources with
oil company (NOC) PdVSA, to serve as the knowledge of the matter told Reuters earlier this
country’s new petroleum minister. week that more than 20 lower-level PdVSA rep-
Maduro’s announcement came one day resentatives had already been detained.
after Tellechea’s predecessor, Tareck El Aissami, Tellechea assumed control of PdVSA in Jan-
stepped down amidst a corruption investigation uary 2023.

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 12 22•March•2023