Eni has opted to drill out a different prospect than originally planned on its Area 7 block off Mexico, with the Italian operator now planning to start work at the Ehecatl-1EXP target in November.

The operator had previously planned to drill either the Yatzil-1EXP or Calakmul-1EXP prospects, both Lower Miocene objectives.

Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) regulator has approved the changes to the exploration plan, which come after Eni upped its spending plans.

Ehecatl-1EXP has a gross pre-drill resource estimate of 1.78 billion barrels of oil and 144 million cubic feet of natural gas, with a probability of success of 36%.

The probe will be drilled by the semi-submersible Valaris 8505 (formerly the Ensco 8505), with work due to begin on 25 November.

Drilling is scheduled to wrap up on 3 February with temporary abandonment to follow.

The well is set to be drilled to 4415 metres in pursuit of oil of about 31 degrees API. The water depth is 426 metres.

Eni is partnered by UK independent Cairn Energy and Mexican player Citla on the tract, one of several awarded in the country’s Round 2.1 that are poised for some interesting midwater drilling in the coming months.

Total investments on the block are planned to range between $125 million and $207 million depending on the scenarios selected.

Eni recently extended its contract with the Valaris 8505 by an extra 225 days from February to September of next year.

The unit has been under contract for the US Gulf and Mexico since January 2019.

The work had originally been pencilled in for earlier in 2019.

The new plan represents a ramp-up from the initial programme, which had forecast at least one well and investments of between $36.6 million and $53.5 million.

For its second well Eni would select from several choices.

As well as the Yatzil-1EXP and Calakmul-1EXP options, there is the Ixchel-1EXP prospect, a shallower objective still in the Lower Miocene but shallower at 2800 metres.

Ixchel-1EXP target has a resource estimate of 1.06 billion barrels of oil and 272 MMcf of natural gas, with a 30% probability of success. Mayaheul-1EXP is another similar target.

Eni has also mapped out targets in Upper Miocene and Pliocene intervals, called Nicteel, Xanat and Ya’ax Tuun, but they are not currently on the company's drilling line-up.

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Eni changes target as it steps up Mexico plans