ExxonMobil drilling for oil in Hamlet-1 well in South East Stabroek Block

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) is currently exploring for oil at its Hamlet-1 well in the southeast of the Stabroek Block, a location that the company has already indicated could add even more oil resources to the over 11 billion barrels it has discovered so far.

According to the Maritime Administrative Department (MARAD) in a notice, exploration drilling is being done from June 15, 2025, and will conclude on August 31, 2025, with drill ship MODU Stena Carron.
“The Hamlet_1 Well Site is situated approximately 104.40 nautical miles (193.40 kilometres) off the coast of Guyana and covers an area of 0.29 square nautical miles (1 square kilometre), bounded by the following coordinates,” MARAD said, urging ships to stay clear of Stena Carron and the other ships that will be used.
Earlier this year, EMGL President Alistair Routledge had spoken about the Hamlet-1 well in the context of the company’s plans to explore for oil this year after a previous year spent appraising a number of discoveries.
“We drilled some large exploration wells last year; we are digesting the results of those. In the meantime, we have identified one exploration well that we are progressing the approvals for with the government and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). That well will be called Hamlet – the Hamlet One well. That’s actually looking for an oil play in the southeast portion of the Stabroek Block,” the oil executive had said.
As a matter of fact, Routledge had also indicated that for 2025 the company plans to drill 30 development wells, with the company setting the stage for future exploration and production of oil in the Stabroek Block.
“As always, at this stage, we’re investing in a mix of wells. The Yellowtail project is starting up. We will also be drilling wells for other projects that are going to start up soon. Around about 30 development wells in 2025, spanning across Yellowtail but also Uaru and the Whiptail developments.”
“So – really important year for us as we drill those wells and prepare for those developments to start up in 2026 and 2027,” Routledge had said during an appearance on the Energy Perspectives Podcast.
EMGL, oil giant Exxon Mobil’s local subsidiary, is the operator of the Stabroek Block and holds a 45 per cent interest, while Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds a 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.
Currently, ExxonMobil is producing oil from three offshore developments in Guyana: Liza Phase One and Two, which utilise the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, and the Payara Project, which uses the Prosperity FPSO. All these projects are located in the Stabroek Block.
The Prosperity FPSO vessel started pumping oil in 2023, and so far, its daily production rate has risen to above 200,000 barrels of oil. Combined, the Liza Destiny, Unity and Prosperity FPSO vessels produce 650,000 barrels of oil per day.
Guyana pumped out over 220 million barrels of oil for the entirety of 2024. It is estimated that when the Yellowtail development project comes on stream, production will climb to 810,000 barrels per day by 2027. Additionally, Exxon has already received approvals for and is advancing preparatory works on its fifth and sixth projects, Uaru and Whiptail.
The company has, meanwhile, completed the purchase of all three FPSO vessels operational in the block, with the purchase of the Liza Destiny FPSO for US$535 million.