LatAmOil: SENER formally names Pemex as operator of Zama oilfield

US-based Talos Energy has confirmed its receipt of documents from Mexico’s Secretariat of Energy (SENER) finalising the decision to award Pemex, the national oil company (NOC), control of the offshore acreage that includes the Zama oilfield.

In a statement, Talos said it had received from SENER the unitisation resolution (UR) that merges Block 7, where Talos originally discovered Zama, with Uchukil 0152, adjacent block assigned to Pemex. The UR also formally appoints Pemex as the operator of the unitised sites, the company noted.

Under the UR, Talos is slated to retain a participating interest of 17.35% in the Zama field. It expects to see the working partners in the project draw up and submit for approval a unit development plan within the next six to 12 months, with the aim of reaching the final investment decision (FID) stage sometime in 2023.