US supermajor ExxonMobil plans to spud its first exploration well in the ultra-deep waters of the Sergipe-Alagoas basin in Brazil's north-east region in the second half next year, according to project partner Enauta. ExxonMobil agreed to charter the Seadrill drillship West Saturn for a dayrate of $225,000 to carry out a wildcatting programme in Brazil. This six-month campaign is due to begin in January 2021 and will comprise the drilling of the Titan prospect in the Tita pre-salt area in the Santos basin and one well - either Ametrina or Opal - in Block C-M-789 in the fringe of the pre-salt polygon in the Campos basin. The Tita production sharing contract is adjacent to the Saturno area, where Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell recently drilled the Saturno-1 duster. The West Saturn contract features multiple options that can be exercised after the two wells, which may keep the rig busy in Brazil until December 2023, with drilling in Sergipe-Alagoas on the agenda. Lincoln Guardado, chief executive of Brazilian independent Enauta, said that the campaign in Sergipe-Alagoas has been delayed by a few months, but it is still in the cards for next year.
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