Shell find adds to US Gulf deep-water stash
Any doubts that the US Gulf of Mexico might be fading as a premier exploration frontier have been put to rest after Shell's 100 million barrel deep-water Vicksburg discovery
The well, 75 miles offshore in Mississippi Canyon Block 393, was drilled to a total depth of 26,385 feet in 7,446 feet of water. It encountered more than 500 feet of net oil pay in the sub-salt Jurassic formations.Any doubts that the US Gulf of Mexico might be fading as a premier exploration frontier have been put to rest after 100 million barrel deep-water Vicksburg discovery. The well, 75 miles offshore in Mississippi Canyon Block 393, was drilled to a total depth of 26,385 feet in 7,446 feet of water. It encountered more than 500 feet of net oil pay in the sub-salt Jurassic formations. Shell is the operator of the well, with a 75% interest, while Nexen, which was recently acquired by stat
Also in this section
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
