Statoil has made an oil discovery in its Miocene Yeti Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Norwegian company said the Yeti discovery was made in Walker Ridge block 160, which is located around 15 kilometre south of the Big Foot field and 11 kilometres from the Cascade field.
Jez Averty, Statoil’s senior vice president for exploration in the North Sea, said: “The Yeti discovery expands the proven sub-salt Miocene play further south and west of the Big Foot field.
“We are analysing data to determine the size of the discovery in order to consider future appraisal options.”
Yeti was drilled with the Maersk Developer drilling rig, a sixth generation semi-submersible.
Statoil said its drilling efficiency was among the best of any well drilled in Walker Ridge, achieving a rate of approximately 123metres per day.
The rig has since moved on and is currently drilling Statoil’s Thorvald prospect in the Mississippi Canyon block 814.
Statoil is the operator (50%) of Yeti, and its partners are Anadarko (37.5%) and Samson (12.5%).