BHP lets contract for Trion work offshore Mexico

BHP Petroleum has let an engineering services contract to Doris Inc., Paris, for the subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) and export pipeline scopes of work of the Trion project in the Mexican sector of the Gulf of Mexico.

Trion field encompasses an area of 1,285 sq km in the Perdido belt at a water depth of 2,570 m with an estimated 222 MMboe net 2C resources.  Acquired in 2016 in Mexico’s first-ever deepwater bid round, BHP is operator with 60% interest. Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) holds 40% interest.

Resource uncertainty at the greenfield development project was reduced with the successful appraisal drilling of 2DEL and 3DEL wells, BHP noted in a November 2019 investor presentation. The company encountered oil with the Trion-2DEL appraisal well in 2018. This was followed by a downdip sidetrack that encountered oil and water, further appraising the field and delineating the resource. A final investment decision is expected early this year, the presentation showed, with additional exploration drilling in the block expected in 2021. First potential production is currently expected in 2025.