VIEW FROM THE TOP
AN EXPERIENCED PLAYER SEEKS MATURE OPPORTUNITIES ROBERTO MC LEOD General Manager of Petrolera Cárdenas Mora, a Cheiron Company
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Q: PICO Cheiron won the Cárdenas-Mora farmout with
Q: How do you plan to increase production in the mature
PEMEX? Why is this significant?
fields you have in Mexico?
A: The Cárdenas-Mora farmout we won with PEMEX is
A: We have not yet introduced specific technologies to
groundbreaking because it is the first where production
increase production in the farmout, as we are just taking
is already present, while Trion, won by BHP Billiton, has
over operations. We are studying the field to evaluate
a fairly high exploratory profile and associated risks. We
which of our strategies could work best to increase
understand that being PEMEX’s partner is a little difficult
production and profitability. While some strategies have
because it worked individually for a long time so we have
already been identified, it is extremely important not
to find a way to create good synergies with the NOC.
to base final decisions only on information from a data room, but to conduct production tests and see what the
We recognize that PEMEX cannot change in one day.
well displays.
Fortunately, we have found PEMEX has been willing to work as part of a team, which will benefit both companies.
In the case of our CIEP in Altamira, we have already used
The NOC is open to working with us to find the best
the best well-engineering technology to keep the well
technology solutions to improve operations and to reach
balanced and to avoid damaging the formation. We are
optimal levels of production in the field.
also introducing a pilot project to inject vapor to increase the recovery factor of the well.
Te c h n i c a l l y s p e a k i n g , we i d e n t i f i e d a t t ra c t i ve characteristics in the Cárdenas-Mora block that made
Q: Why has PICO Cheiron not yet finished the migration
us comfortable with placing a strong bid. Officially, we
process of its CIEP in Altamira?
started operations as partners with PEMEX in Cárdenas-
A: When the CIEPs and COPFs migrations started we were
Mora on March 6, and things have worked very well so
one of the first companies to present the documentation
far thanks to the good communication between us. The
to PEMEX and to the Ministry of Energy but soon after,
block has great potential to become highly profitable for
and due to a change in strategy, we temporarily retired
us, PEMEX and the country.
from the process because we had other priorities. We
PICO 4 liftboat working at the Nohoch-C fixed platform, Gulf of Mexico