Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
The Key Wells to Watch 2023 Report by Westwood Indicated That South America Is Expected to Remain a Key Region for High-Impact Exploration, Primarily in the Suriname-Guiana Basin and Brazil. On the Other Hand, the Report States That Argentina Will Have Its First Deepwater Well Drilled.
The Report Also Foresees a Recovery in North America Following an Intense Year When Nine High-Impact Wells Were Completed. Additionally, There Are Five More High-Impact Wells in the US Gulf of Mexico, Not Counting Other Commitment Wells on the Coast of Mexico and a Frontier Basin Test to Be Conducted in the Orphan Basin off the Coast of Canada.
On the Other Hand, Africa Will Also Have Wells in the Orange Basin off the Coast of Namibia, as Well as Frontier Tests off the Coasts of Mozambique, Morocco, and Gabon. In 2022, There Was High-Impact Exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, Which Is Expected to Continue in 2023, with Five More High-Impact Wells Anticipated.
However, Westwood Indicates That High-Impact Drilling Is Expected to Drop Significantly in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific This Year Compared to 2022 Results.
-
Larger than entire cities in Brazil: BYD is building a 4.6 km² complex in Bahia with a capacity for 600,000 vehicles per year, but the discovery of 163 workers in conditions analogous to slavery has shaken the entire project.
-
With an investment of R$ 612 million, a capacity to process 1.2 million liters of milk per day, Piracanjuba inaugurates a mega cheese factory that increases national production, reduces dependence on imports, and repositions Brazil on the global dairy map.
-
Brazilian city gains industrial hub for 85 companies that is equivalent to 55 football fields.
-
Peugeot and Citroën factory in Argentina cuts production by half and opens a layoff program for more than 2,000 employees after Brazil drastically reduced purchases of Argentine vehicles.
In the Report, Westwood States That “The Conflict in Ukraine and High and Volatile Oil and Gas Prices Have Caused Energy Policy to Shift in the Short Term, from Environmental and Energy Transition Focus to Accessibility and Security. Meanwhile, Global Explorers Are Taking a Measured Approach and Maintaining Stable Budgets and Activities While Trying to Improve Overall Exploration Efficiency.”
High-Impact Exploration Was One of the Hallmarks of 2022
In 2022, High-Impact Exploration Drilling Was Stable in the Industry, with Results Similar to 2021. Thus, Even Though 2022 Was a Tumultuous Year, with 81 High-Impact Wells Completed, the Report Indicates That the Outlook Is Favorable.
The Sector’s Performance Was Positively Impacted by a Resource Increase from 7.4 Bnboe in 2022 to 9.2 Bnboa in 2022. Additionally, There Was an Increase in the Commercial Success Rate from 29% to 36% in 2022.
According to the Report, Discoveries in the Orange Basin in Namibia Brought New Oil Finds, with Preliminary Estimates of Potentially Over 3.5 Bnboe of Discovered Oil and Gas Resources.
Furthermore, the Second Largest Discovery of 2022 Also Brought Positive Impacts. This Discovery Was Made in Uchuva, in the Guajira Basin, off the Coast of Colombia, Which Found 3-5 Tcf of Recoverable Gas. On the Other Hand, Nine More Commercial Discoveries Were Made in Guyana and One in Suriname, Representing 21% of Total Discovered Resources.
On the Other Hand, the Report Shows That High-Impact Frontier Exploration Drilling Remained Low, with 19 Frontier Wells Completed in 2022, Despite the Excellent Commercial Rate of 26% with Five Open Discoveries in Uchuva in Colombia, Venus and Graff in Namibia, Anchois-2 in Morocco, and Timpan in Indonesia.
Finally, the Report Indicates a High Commercial Success Rate, Rising from 28% in 2021 to 46% in 2022. This Occurred Due to Improved Performance in the Suriname-Guiana Region, as the Stabroek JV Focused on High-Impact Drilling in the Core of the Proven Play.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!