US-based energy company Murphy Oil has discovered oil at the Bubale-1X exploration well around 40 miles from the coast of Côte d’Ivoire in Block CI-709.
The well was spudded in late February 2026 by Murphy CI-709 Oil, a subsidiary of Murphy Oil and the operator of the offshore concession.
Bubale-1X reached a total depth of 20,548ft (6,263m) while operating at water depths of 7,795ft.
According to the company, the well encountered 100ft of net oil pay across two reservoirs. Early analysis points to the presence of high-quality light oil.
The Bubale-1X well completes Murphy Oil’s current three-well exploration campaign offshore Côte d’Ivoire.
Following the discovery, Murphy Oil is set to enter the appraisal work stage.
Plans include drilling one further well in the second half of this year to assess the scale of the new discovery.
Ownership of Block CI-709 comprises a 90% working interest by Murphy Oil, with the remainder held by Société Nationale d’Opérations Pétrolières de la Côte d’Ivoire (PETROCI).
Murphy Oil president and CEO Eric Hambly said: “Early results at Bubale reinforce the prospectivity of our Côte d’Ivoire acreage. We are pleased with the results to date, which underscore the value of a disciplined and consistent exploration approach.
“Our immediate focus now is advancing evaluation plans to define the discovery’s full potential.”
Murphy Oil operates as an independent oil and natural gas producer with assets spanning both offshore and onshore regions, and maintains a portfolio of exploration projects.
The company currently has significant onshore inventory positions across the Eagle Ford Shale, Tupper Montney and Kaybob Duvernay, and offshore assets in the Gulf of Mexico and Canadian waters.
Earlier this year, the company drilled the Hai Su Vang-2X (HSV-2X) appraisal well in Block /17, situated roughly 40 miles offshore Vietnam.
The well was spudded in October 2025 by Murphy Oil’s subsidiary as part of its ongoing appraisal efforts for the Hai Su Vang field.
The company stated that the results from the HSV-2X well extend hydrocarbon resources within the Cuu Long Basin.
