Deepwater Gulf exploration starts to rebound
The US Gulf of Mexico is experiencing an uptick in exploration, but the way companies operate in the region has changed due to the downturn in oil prices
Exploration in the US Gulf of Mexico appears to be on the up after several years in decline. However, the lower oil price environment has forced operators in the region to change their approach to exploration, and this trend is still playing out. A return to the development of new megaprojects appears likely in the coming years—and indeed necessary if producers are to replace lost barrels from mature, declining operations. For now, a strategy focused on subsea tiebacks and the expansion of existing operations is the preferred option for many Gulf drillers. At the same time, though, a few—mostly majors—are pushing to open frontier deepwater regions. These players will be instrumental in kicki
Also in this section
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics
