By Alicia Chamely
SIX months after signing a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, ExxonMobil will begin its seismic acquisition in February.
On Tuesday, via press release, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) announced Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, Minister in the Minister of Energy and Energy Affair Ernesto Kesar and other high ranking Ministry officials met with a high-level delegation from the US Embassy and ExxonMobil to receive updates on the progress of operations related to the ultra-deep block, TTUD-1.
The MEEI stated ExxonMobil confirmed operations projected for TTUD-1 were on schedule and a seismic acquisition vendor had been selected.
ExxonMobil, the release stated, signed a PSC with the MEEI in August and through government support the company would begin with seismic acquisition.
The MEEI stated, “ExxonMobil indicated that operations projected for TTUD 1 are on schedule and confirmed that the company has now selected a seismic acquisition vendor and expressed gratitude for the support and cooperation of the Government thus far as the company proceeds to ambitiously begin seismic acquisition within six months of the Production Sharing Contract signing that occurred in August 2025. The anticipated first shot window is projected for February 2026.”
The MEEI stated both Minister Moonilal and Kesar reaffirmed the Ministry’s support the project “by optimising the necessary permitting and approvals processes, ensuring that there are minimal delays on the State’s end as it pertains to achieving the accelerated timeline for the execution of the minimum work committed by ExxonMobil.”
The Ministry stated, “All parties remain committed to the accelerated and successful development of TTUD-1, committing to continued open dialogue and communication.”
Upon his appointment, Moonilal said one of his first points of business would be to cut down the level of bureaucracy in the energy sector, permitting for the accelerated exploration and extraction of T&T’s oil and gas, boosting productivity and reenergizing the sector.
WHAT IS SEISMIC ACQUISITION
Seismic acquisition in oil and gas exploration is a vital process, involving the generation and recording of seismic waves to create detailed images of the subsurface. This allows for the identification of potential oil and gas reservoirs and minimizing drilling risks.
Results of a seismic acquisition determine the viability of a reservoir and what methods and processes should be used to extract the oil or gas.
