Woodside Energy Group Ltd. has appointed Stephane Drouaud, vice-president of the Trion project, as managing director of Woodside Mexico while retaining his current project responsibilities.

Drouaud will relocate to Mexico City and lead the company's operations in the country as Woodside advances development of Trion field toward first oil in 2028.

Woodside (operator, 60%) and Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX; 40%) are developing Trion, which is expected to be Mexico's first ultra-deepwater oil project. The field lies about 180 km offshore Mexico and 30 km south of the US-Mexico maritime border in water depths of about 2,500 m in the Perdido Fold Belt. Comprising 24 subsea wells connected to a new floating production unit (FPU) and FSO, the project is targeting 479 MMboe of best estimate (2C) contingent oil and gas.

Drilling and subsea equipment installation campaigns are under way. The project was 64% complete as of June 30, 2026, Woodside said.

Drouaud's expanded role follows a September meeting between Woodside chief executive officer Liz Westcott and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, during which Woodside and PEMEX signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate potential future hydrocarbon exploration and development opportunities in deepwater areas of the Gulf of Mexico.