US-based ExxonMobil and its partners have made a significant new oil discovery at Whiptail in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.
The Whiptail-1 well, which was drilled in 5,889 feet of water by the Stena DrillMAX, encountered 246 feet of net pay in high quality oil bearing sandstone reservoirs.
Oil discovery was also made at the Whiptail-2 well, where drilling is being carried out in 6,217 feet of water by the Noble Don Taylor. The well has encountered 167 feet of net pay in high quality oil bearing sandstone reservoirs.
The Whiptail-2 well is located 3 miles (4.8km) northeast of Whiptail-1.
ExxonMobil new ventures and exploration senior vice president Mike Cousins said: “This discovery increases our confidence in the resource size and quality in the southeast area of the Stabroek Block and could form the basis for a future development as we continue to evaluate the best sequence of development opportunities within the block.”
The Whiptail discovery is located approximately 4 miles (6.4km) southeast of the Uaru-1 discovery, which encountered approximately 94ft of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir.
The Uaru-1 discovery was announced in January 2020.
ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana is operator of the Stabroek block, which cover an area of 6.6 million acres (26,800km2).
Hess Guyana Exploration and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China’s CNOOC are the other partners in the block.
Hess Corporation CEO John Hess said: “Whiptail is a significant new oil discovery that will add to the discovered recoverable resource estimate of approximately 9 billion barrels of oil equivalent and could underpin a future oil development in the southeast area of the Stabroek Block.”
ExxonMobil targets to bring at least six projects online by 2027. It also sees potential for the development of up to 10 projects from its current recoverable resource base.
In June, the company has announced a new discovery at Longtail-3 well in the Stabroek Block.
