Murphy Oil (NYSE:MUR) announced today that its Civette-1X exploration well offshore Côte d’Ivoire reached total depth but failed to meet commercial thresholds, a result that provides a sober look at the frontier basin even as it confirms a working petroleum system.
The well, located in Block CI-502, was drilled to a total depth of 13,950 feet (4,252 meters).
While the data revealed the presence of hydrocarbons across multiple intervals, the accumulation was deemed insufficient for commercial development at this stage.
Despite the outcome, the Houston-based independent emphasized that the technical data gathered from the well is a "meaningful success" for its long-term strategy in West Africa.
“A key outcome at Civette is that we confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons in this frontier play,” said Eric Hambly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Murphy Oil.
“While Civette did not meet commercial thresholds, the well provided insights that strengthen our subsurface understanding and inform the remaining prospectivity on the block.”
Murphy is acting as the operator of Block CI-502 with a 90% working interest, partnered with the Ivorian state oil firm, PETROCI, which holds the remaining 10%.
The exploration program is part of a broader three-well campaign designed to test independent play types in the deepwater Tano Basin—an area that has seen renewed interest following Eni SpA’s massive Baleine and Calao discoveries.
The company is now pivoting to its next high-impact targets in the region: the Caracal and Bubale prospects.
These upcoming wells target different geological structures with significant resource potential.
The Ivorian campaign is a key pillar of Murphy’s 2026 exploration budget, alongside its appraisal work in Vietnam, where the company recently reported a major oil find at its Hai Su Vang field.