Woodside Energy, together with Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), has begun the Trion drilling campaign at the Trion Field in the ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The start of drilling represents a key milestone in the development of one of Mexico’s most significant offshore energy projects and marks an important step toward full field development after the project’s final investment decision (FID) in 2023. Woodside holds a 60 percent participating interest in Trion and serves as the operator of the project, while PEMEX maintains the remaining 40 percent stake.
Commenting on the development, Woodside Acting CEO Liz Westcott said the launch of the drilling activities represents an important moment both for the Trion Project and for the country’s offshore energy industry. He further added that the Trion project presents an opportunity to “enhance Mexico’s energy security, build local capability and generate enduring economic value for the country.” The Trion drilling campaign forms a central part of the project’s development strategy and includes the execution of 24 subsea wells. These wells will be connected to a floating production unit (FPU) named Tláloc, which has a nameplate capacity of approximately 100,000 barrels per day. The development also includes subsea infrastructure and export systems designed to support safe and reliable offshore operations. Oil produced from the field will be transferred to a floating storage and offloading facility (FSO) named Chalchi, which has a storage capacity of 950,000 barrels.
Drilling operations for the Trion drilling campaign will be carried out using Transocean’s Deepwater Thalassa drilling vessel. The vessel will be supported by supply ships and logistics services operating from ports in the state of Tamaulipas, reinforcing local and regional supply chains linked to the project. The Deepwater Thalassa reached Mexican waters on 5 March 2026. Since the project’s FID for Trion, engineering work, procurement activities and operational planning have advanced in accordance with the established development schedule. According to the current timeline, the project remains on track to achieve first oil in 2028.
Woodside Vice President Trion Stephane Drouaud stated that work on the project is progressing “safely and systematically” through the various stages of engineering, planning and drilling execution. The Trion development is also expected to generate notable economic benefits, including direct and indirect employment opportunities as well as increased participation by Mexican suppliers. Over the lifetime of the project, Trion is projected to deliver more than US$10 billion in taxes and royalties to Mexico.
