In its fourth quarter and full year results statement, which was published this week, Talos Energy revealed that it plans to drill a Daenerys appraisal well later in the second quarter of 2026 “to further define the discovered resource”.
The Daenerys discovery, which was described in the results as “exciting” by Talos President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Goodfellow, was announced in a statement posted on Talos’ website on August 19, 2025.
“In August 2025, Talos announced successful drilling results at the Daenerys exploration prospect located on [U.S. Gulf] Walker Ridge blocks 106, 107, 150 and 151,” Talos highlighted in its latest results statement.
“The discovery well was drilled to a total vertical depth of 33,228 feet utilizing the West Vela deepwater drillship and encountered oil pay in multiple high-quality, sub-salt Miocene sands,” it added, noting that the discovery well has been temporarily suspended to preserve its future utility.
“Talos is encouraged by the results of the Daenerys discovery well, which confirms the presence of oil and validates Talos’ geologic and geophysical models,” it continued.
Talos is the operator of the find and holds a 27 percent working interest, the results statement points out. Shell Offshore Inc. holds a 22.5 percent stake, Red Willow also holds a 22.5 percent stake, Houston Energy L.P. holds a 10 percent interest, HEQ II Daenerys LLC holds a nine percent interest, and Cathexis also holds a nine percent stake, the results statement highlights.
In a statement posted on its site in August last year, Talos said the Daenerys discovery well was drilled by the West Vela deepwater drillship and noted that it “encountered oil pay in multiple high-quality, sub-salt Miocene sands”.
“A comprehensive wireline program was conducted, acquiring core, fluid, and log data to evaluate the reservoir. The well was drilled approximately 12 days ahead of schedule and delivered approximately $16 million under budget,” the company added at the time.
“Planning is underway for an appraisal well to further define the discovered resource. The discovery well has been temporarily suspended to preserve its future utility,” it continued.
In that statement, Goodfellow said, “we are encouraged by the results of our Daenerys discovery well, which confirms the presence of hydrocarbons and validates our geologic and geophysical models”.
“We believe these results support Talos’ pre-drill resource assumptions. We are now working closely with our partners to design an appraisal program that will further delineate this exciting discovery. We anticipate spudding the appraisal well in the second quarter of 2026,” he added.
In a statement sent to Rigzone back in August last year, Wood Mackenzie said the Daenerys discovery is a “game changer” for Talos in the Gulf of America [GoA].
“The company’s GoA portfolio was ageing, but Daenerys could add more than 50 million of barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) net proved reserves,” Miles Sasser, senior research analyst, upstream, for Wood Mackenzie said in that statement.
“That would increase its YE2024 proved reserves of 194 mmboe more than 25 percent,” he added.
“This is the company’s largest discovery to date in the GoA. While Talos has not released volumes, a 200 mmboe discovery would make Daenerys GoA’s biggest find since Shell’s Whale in 2017,” Sasser continued.
Adrian Tjokro, research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said in the Wood Mackenzie statement that the Daenerys discovery “could reshape the exploration strategy for Gulf of America’s Walker Ridge area”.
“While the Big Foot discovery marked the first subsalt Miocene find in the Walker Ridge margin, Daenerys confirms that the Subsalt Miocene trend extends westward into the region and into an area that previously only held Paleogene-aged fields,” Tjokro added.
“This success could trigger a re-evaluation of the area for other overlooked sub-salt Miocene potential after a multi-year absence of 100+ mmboe discoveries in the region,” Tjokro continued.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
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