Hot on the heels of the successful Trion 1DL appraisal campaign, Pemex mobilised IPC's semi-submersible rig Bicentenario to spin the drillbit at Vasto in April, it is understood. The well is located in water depths of about 2700 metres.

Vasto, like Trion before it, will drill beneath the salt in search of light oil pools. Sources say the ultimate target is in either the Paleocene or the Eocene age trend.

Despite