From Houston (BN): Breaking a Gulf of Mexico losing streak, Statoil announced an oil discovery at its Yeti prospect, the latest in a rapid-fire succession of GoM exploration wells by the Norwegian operator.

The find is in Walker Ridge 160, about 15km south of Chevron’s Big Foot (32/1) development and 11km west of Petrobras’ Cascade-Chinook (31/23). The well was drilled by the drillship Maersk Developer in 1,797m.

Statoil said the discovery expands the subsalt Miocene play south and west of Big Foot where Statoil is a partner. Analysis continues to determine appraisal options.

Instead of details about the discovery, Statoil touted drilling efficiency - 123m/d - which the company described as ‘the best of any well drilled in Walker Ridge.’

Prior to success at Yeti, Statoil had failed to find commercial hydrocarbons at Martin in Mississippi Canyon 718 and Perseus in Desoto Canyon 231. The rig has moved on to Statoil’s Thorvald prospect in MC814.

Statoil operates (50%) for Anadarko (37.5%) and Samson (12.5%).

Cobalt has plugged and abandoned its North Platte-2 appraisal well due to a seal failure in the riser connection system. The well was being drilled by the drillship Rowan Reliance in Garden Banks 958 in 1,487m.

The bit had reached a depth of 6,310m when drillers detected the riser problem. The well was permanently abandoned prior to reaching any geological targets. Cobalt is currently permitting North Platte-3 approximately 61m from the surface location of the abandoned well.

Assuming timely receipt of permit approval, Cobalt anticipated spudding North Platte-3 by the end of this week and said it still expects well results in the second half of this year.

The North Platte discovery well was drilled in 2012 and encountered over 167m net oil pay in multiple high-quality Inboard Lower Tertiary reservoirs. Cobalt operates (60%) for Total (40%).

Cobalt also gained approval at South Platte in GB1003. The plan calls for three 192-day wells at the rate of one a year starting this November and running through July 2018. It is in 1,350m about 390km southwest of New Orleans. Same ownership as above.

Hess has won approval to drill a sixth well at its Penn State Deep project in Garden Banks 216. The 120-day well in 400m about 300km southwest of New Orleans was tentatively scheduled to spud 1 May with completion done by November and first production by January 2016.

The subsea wells are to be tied back to Hess’ Baldpate platform in GB260. Hess operates (37.5%) for Shell (37.5%) and Anadarko (25%).

Freeport McMoRan is advancing one of the finds included in its Plains acquisition two years ago. Regulators have approved a supplemental development plan for the King project in 1,570m in MC84 and 85 about 145km south of the Alabama coastline.

The plan calls for 200m of 6in pipelines and a new manifold that will link two wells already equipped with trees to an existing flowline. That flowline goes to the Marlin tlp in Viosca Knoll 915.

The installation will require a new subsea distribution unit and electrical, optical and hydraulic flying leads on the existing umbilical. All the work is to be done this fall at the project wholly owned by F-M.

LLOG has received a conditional green light to explore its Crown & Anchor (surely a pub!) prospect in VK 959 and 960. The plan calls for four 45-to-50-day wells with 40-day completions. All four wells have surface locations in VK959, but two have bottom locations in VK960.

The first well is to be drilled this year starting in May, the rest at the rate of one a year through 2018. The site is in 1,329m about 230km southeast of New Orleans.