Shell to relinquish pair of deep-water exploration blocks after failing to unlock commercial resources



European supermajor Shell intends to return two exploration blocks in the deep-water portion of the Salina basin offshore Mexico after failing to unlock commercial resources in the area.

The move takes place as Shell conducts a three-well exploration programme in Mexico with the Noble Corporation drillship Noble Voyager in search of hydrocarbons.

Mexico’s hydrocarbons regulator CNH said Shell has started the process of relinquishing blocks 21 and 23 in the Salina basin.

Shell acquired a total of nine exploration blocks in January 2018 in Mexico’s Round 2.4,