Uruguay Confirms First Offshore Well Drilling for 2027 as Apache Advances Block 6 Exploration

Apache Corporation will drill Uruguay’s inaugural offshore exploratory well in Block 6 during 2027, according to Pablo Gristo, Exploration and Production Manager at state oil company ANCAP. The announcement came during the eighth Arpel conference in Buenos Aires, where Gristo emphasized that successful drilling without incident represents the primary objective, with geological results to be determined by natural conditions.

Uruguay awarded offshore exploration licenses across seven blocks in 2023, attracting major international operators following discoveries in Namibia’s Orange Basin since 2022. The geological similarities between the South Atlantic margins, which shared evolutionary patterns before continental separation, created significant exploratory interest on the American side. Block OFF-1 involves Chevron and Sintana Energy, while Shell and Qatar Energy operate Block 2. Sintana holds Block OFF-3 independently, with Shell and Apache partnering in Block 4. YPF and Eni control Block OFF-5, Apache operates Block 6 alone, and Shell, Chevron, and Qatar Energy jointly manage Block OFF-7.

The seven blocks represent committed work programs totaling USD 233 million, with 3D seismic surveys reaching 22 percent completion. Qatar Energy and Chevron’s entry into Shell-operated areas completed the first full coverage of Uruguay’s offshore platform with operational partnerships.

YPF CEO Horacio Marín expressed confidence that the company will proceed with exploratory drilling in Block OFF-5 alongside Eni, with a final decision expected by end-2026. The November 2025 agreement granted Eni Uruguay a 50 percent stake and operational control of the block, located 200 kilometers offshore covering approximately 17,000 square kilometers.

Regional implications extend beyond Uruguay’s borders. The Block 6 drilling will provide critical data for Argentina’s North Basin, situated 300 kilometers off Mar del Plata, and Brazil’s southern Pelotas Basin. Shell completed extensive studies in Argentine blocks CAN 107 and CAN 109 near Mar del Plata but has not requested drilling permits following the dry Argerich-1 well result declared by the Equinor-YPF-Shell consortium. Industry analysis indicates the Argentine offshore area would require approximately 100 wells to properly assess hydrocarbon potential, making single well results insufficient for definitive conclusions about the basin’s viability.