Exploration and production of Petróleos Mexicanos
Pemex’s exploration and production segment operates through the state-owned productive subsidiary Pemex Exploración y Producción and explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas, mainly in the northeast and southeast regions of Mexico and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
In nominal pesos, investments in the company’s exploration and production activities increased 20.4% in 2022.
As a result of these investments, Pemex’s total hydrocarbon production reached a level of approximately 926.1 million barrels of oil equivalent in 2022.
In addition, crude oil production increased 1. 6 % from 2021 to 2022, reaching an average of 1 million 764,200 barrels per day in 2022, mainly as a result of the development of the offshore fields Esah, Itta, Koban, Mulach, Pokche, Teca, Teekit Profundo, Uchbal, Xanab, Yaxche and the onshore Quesqui, Tupilco Profundo, Cibix, Teotleco and Ixachi projects, as well as repairs, upgrades and diversification of the artificial systems in the other onshore fields, which helped maintain production levels.
On the other hand, natural gas production (excluding natural gas liquids) increased 0.5% from 2021 to 2022, averaging 4,692.8 million cubic feet per day in 2022.
Above all, this increase in Pemex’s natural gas production is due to the development of our new offshore fields Koban, Pokche and onshore field projects Quesqui, Tupilco Profundo, Teotleco and Ixachi.
Exploration and production
Exploration drilling activity increased 21.9% from 2021 to 2022, from 32 exploration wells completed in 2021 to 39 exploration wells completed in 2022.
Development drilling activity increased 27.6% from 2021 to 2022, from 127 development wells completed in 2021 to 162 development wells completed in 2022.
In 2022, Pemex completed the drilling of 201 wells in total.
At the same time, the company’s exploration drilling activity focused on the shallow water Gulf of Mexico and onshore regions and development drilling activity focused on increasing crude oil and associated gas production in the new offshore Esah, Itta, Koban, Mulach, Pokche, Teca, Teekit Deep, Uchbal, Xanab, Yaxche and onshore Quesqui, Tupilco Deep, Cibix, Teotleco and Ixachi field projects.
Looking ahead to 2022, Pemex plans to invest in three new developments, all of them in shallow waters.
The company will continue with the development of the other 27 of the 29 fields it has been developing during 2020, 2021 and 2022, as Jaatsul and Hok are no longer included in its development plan.
In 2022, it incorporated the Tlalkivak, Camatl and Akal-NW shallow water fields into its development plan, bringing its total investment in new developments to 30 fields, 24 in shallow water and six onshore.
As of December 31, 2022, Pemex had started production in 27 of these 30 fields.
These 27 fields had an average production of 387,900 barrels per day of crude oil and 1,121.3 million cubic feet per day of natural gas in 2022.
