Shell, INEOS make new oil discovery in Norphlet play in U.S. Gulf
(WO) — Shell and INEOS Energy have made their first oil discovery in the Gulf of America after confirming hydrocarbons at the Nashville exploration well, a deepwater Norphlet find operated by Shell.
The Nashville well, drilled in the Norphlet formation, was drilled more than five miles beneath the seabed and encountered high-quality oil in what the companies described as one of the Gulf’s most prospective deepwater plays. INEOS holds a 21% working interest in the discovery, while Shell operates the well with a 79% interest.
The discovery could be tied back to Shell’s nearby Appomattox platform, which is jointly owned by Shell and INEOS, subject to further technical and commercial evaluation.
David Bucknall, CEO of INEOS Energy, said the find represents a milestone for the company’s U.S. offshore portfolio.
“This is a good result for INEOS Energy and an important step in building our presence in the US Gulf where world-class resources are to be found and developed responsibly. We believe Nashville will help strengthen energy security and provide reliable supplies for many years to come,” Bucknall said.
INEOS said the well was drilled using the Deepwater Proteus, one of the world’s most advanced offshore drilling rigs. Additional technical work is now under way to determine the size and commercial potential of the discovery.
Heather Osecki, CEO of INEOS Energy’s U.S. Gulf business, said the results align with the company’s expectations for the play.
“The drilling results at Nashville are very encouraging and fully in line with what we hoped to find. This discovery is an important first step in our plans to grow our existing assets while we look to further strengthen our position in the Gulf. We look forward to continuing our work to bring further value to the Appomattox host platform,” Osecki said.
