Murphy Oil Corporation announced that it has made an oil discovery at the Bubale-1X well in Block CI-709, situated approximately 40 miles offshore Côte d’Ivoire. The discovery marks a significant outcome from the company’s ongoing exploration activities in the region and concludes its current three-well drilling campaign in the country.
The Bubale-1X well reached a total depth of 20,548 feet (6,263 meters) while operating in water depths of 7,795 feet (2,376 meters). According to the company, the well encountered 100 feet (30 meters) of net oil pay distributed across two reservoirs. Initial evaluations indicate the presence of high-quality light oil, supporting the prospectivity of the acreage within Block CI-709.
Commenting on the results, Eric Hambly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Murphy Oil Corporation, said, “Early results at Bubale reinforce the prospectivity of our Côte d’Ivoire acreage. We are pleased with the results to date, which underscore the value of a disciplined and consistent exploration approach. Our immediate focus now is advancing evaluation plans to define the discovery’s full potential.”
Evaluation Phase Planned Following Completion of Exploration Campaign
The Bubale-1X well represents the third and final exploration well drilled as part of Murphy’s current three-well campaign in Côte d’Ivoire. Following the discovery, the company intends to proceed with the next stage of evaluation activities aimed at better understanding the scale and potential of the find. As part of these plans, one additional well is scheduled for the second half of 2026 to assess the extent of the discovery associated with the Bubale-1X well.
Drilling operations began in late February 2026 when the well was spud by Murphy CI-709 Oil Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corporation and the operator of Block CI-709. Murphy maintains a 90 percent working interest in the block, while Société Nationale d’Opérations Pétrolières de la Côte d’Ivoire (PETROCI) holds the remaining 10 percent interest.
Company Maintains Focus on Global Exploration Portfolio
Murphy Oil Corporation is an independent oil and natural gas company with a multi-basin onshore and offshore portfolio and significant exploration opportunities. The company has operated for more than a century and continues to pursue exploration and development projects across several regions. Its current asset base includes extensive inventory onshore in the Eagle Ford Shale, Tupper Montney and Kaybob Duvernay, alongside offshore operations in the Gulf of America and Canada.
In addition to its producing assets, Murphy continues to pursue long-term growth through offshore exploration and development activities in the Gulf of America, Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire, where the recent Bubale-1X well discovery adds another milestone to its exploration efforts.
