UK supermajor Shell plans to spud a second exploration well offshore Mexico in 2023 to target light oil in deep-water plays.

Mexican hydrocarbons regulator CNH cleared Shell to drill the Luwa-1EXP wildcat in Block 4 in the Perdido fold belt.

The approval was given just days after CNH green-lighted a plan submitted by Shell to spud the Jokol-1EXP well in Block 28 in the Salina basin in January 2023.

The 79-day campaign at Luwa-1EXP is expected to begin in April 2023 immediately after Shell finishes drilling Jokol-1EXP.