Pemex makes deepwater discovery in Mexican sector of GoM

Mexico's state-run oil giant Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) announced it had found oil in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico at a well called Leek-1.
"We are now doing tests to see if it is commercially viable," a company spokesman said. If it is proved viable, the well will be the second in the areas.

Pemex found oil in 2008 in this area at a well called Tamil, and it was declared commercially viable earlier this year. Pemex plans to start producing crude in Tamil several years later.
The firm has drilled four deep-water wells this year and found natural gas in one of them. The firm will begin operating two new platforms in the region in 2010.

Pemex is trying to find new oil fields to replace the aging Cantarell, a supergiant field the firm discovered in the 1970s. The field now produces 60 % less than its 2004 peak.
Pemex has previously said deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico hold massive potential reserves, but require new technology to explore and produce.