Yaxché

Location

The Yaxché oil field is situated in the southwestern portion of the Bay of Campeche, which is part of the larger Litoral de Tabasco region.

Operational Overview

Yaxché is a producing conventional oil field, operating in shallow water. The field is one of the several projects within the Litoral de Tabasco complex, which has been a key area for PEMEX's oil and gas production.

Infrastructure and Installation

In 2020, PEMEX installed the Yaxché-C platform, which is a significant addition to the field's infrastructure. The installation was carried out by Heerema's deepwater construction vessel, Balder. The platform's jacket and topsides were fabricated by Cotemar in Tampico, Mexico. The jacket weighs 700 metric tons, the four skirt piles weigh 125 metric tons each, and the topsides weigh 850 metric tons. The components were transported on a barge to Dos Bocas before being installed in the Bay of Campeche between August 8 and August 15, 2020.

Development and Contractors

The engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract for the Yaxché-C platform was awarded to a consortium consisting of Cotemar, Hoc Offshore (Arendal), and Construcciones Mecanicas Monclova (Commsa).

Production and Significance

Yaxché is one of the fields that contributed to the significant increase in production within the Litoral de Tabasco complex. Along with other projects like Crudo Ligero Marino, Ayin-Alux, and the Tsimin-Xux complex, Yaxché has helped elevate the Litoral de Tabasco to become PEMEX’s third most productive asset by 2013.

Geology and Reservoirs

While specific details about the geology and reservoirs of Yaxché are not provided in the sources, it is part of the broader geological context of the Reforma-Akal Horst, similar to other fields in the region like Tsimin and Xux. These fields typically have reservoirs from the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

Future Plans and Integration

The installation of the Yaxché-C platform is part of PEMEX's broader strategy to enhance production and infrastructure in the Bay of Campeche. Long-term plans likely involve integrating the Yaxché field with other existing production infrastructure within the Litoral de Tabasco complex to maximize production efficiency.

In summary, the Yaxché oil project is a crucial component of PEMEX's operations in the Bay of Campeche, contributing to the overall production and development goals of the Litoral de Tabasco region.