Woodside Hires SLB for Trion Ultra-Deepwater Drilling Job off Mexico
March 31, 2025
Global energy technology company SLB has secured a major drilling contract by Australian oil and gas operator Woodside Energy for its ultra-deepwater Trion development project, offshore Mexico.
SLB will oversee the delivery of 18 ultra-deepwater wells using an integrated services approach and AI-enabled drilling capabilities to improve operational efficiency and well quality.
The full scope of the contract includes digital directional drilling services and hardware, logging while drilling (LWD), surface logging, cementing, drilling and completions fluids, completions, and wireline services.
Services will begin in early 2026 and be managed through SLB’s Performance Live digital service delivery centers.
The contract follows another major contract from Woodside for the Trion development to the SLB OneSubsea joint venture in 2023, which includes subsea horizontal trees, controls and topside equipment. Manufacturing is currently on track.
Woodside, with an operating share of 60%, is developing the field in partnership with Pemex, which holds the remaining 40%. First production is targeted in 2028.
The field is located in the Perdido Fold Belt in Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 180 km off the Mexican coastline and 30 km south of the U.S.-Mexico maritime border.
Trion is poised to be the first production site from Mexico’s deepwater with potential for future discoveries to be tied back to Trion’s facilities.
“With water depths of up to 2,500 meters, the Trion development presents challenging technical conditions for drilling and well construction.
“SLB has extensive expertise in ultra-deepwater drilling projects globally and advanced technologies, including AI and digitally enabled hardware, to bring these wells online safely, efficiently and reliably.
“We will also leverage the strategic investments we’ve made in local talent and supply chains in Mexico, which will help support the on-time delivery of this project,” said Wallace Pescarini, president, Offshore Atlantic, SLB.
