London-listed Energean (45%op) and partners Chariot (30%) and Morocco state firm ONHYM (25%) this week spud the Anchois-3 appraisal well with the Stena Forth drillship in 360ms water depth 40km offshore Morocco’s northern Atlantic coast.

Spain’s Repsol made the Anchois discovery back in 2009 before relinquishing it as uncommercial. But London-based based Chariot subsequently snagged the acreage, drilling the Anchois-2 well in 380ms water depth at the end of 2021 (MEES, 14 January 2022). This firmed up recoverable resource estimates leading to development plans for 105mn cfd output supplying the domestic market (MEES, 10 March 2023), and to Energean’s end-2023 farm-in deal which completed in April (MEES, 12 April). Energean is covering Chariot’s share of ongoing drilling costs as part of the deal. (CONTINUED - 344 WORDS)