SLB has been awarded a major contract by Woodside Energy to deliver integrated drilling services for the development of the Trion field, located in ultra-deep waters offshore Mexico. The scope of work includes drilling 18 wells as part of the field’s development phase.

The Trion project, a joint development between Woodside and Mexico’s state-owned Pemex, marks a significant milestone as it will be the first deep-water oil production project in Mexico. Discovered by Pemex in 2012, Trion lies within the Perdido Fold Belt at a water depth of approximately 2,500 meters—about 180 kilometers off Mexico’s coastline and 30 kilometers south of the U.S.–Mexico maritime border. First production is targeted for 2028.

SLB’s involvement will leverage its full suite of integrated services and AI-enabled drilling technologies to enhance efficiency and well integrity. The contract encompasses a comprehensive range of services, including cementing, completions, drilling and completions fluids, logging while drilling (LWD), surface logging, wireline services, and digital directional drilling. Operations are scheduled to begin in early 2026 and will be managed through SLB’s Performance Live™ digital service delivery centers.

“With water depths of up to 2,500 meters, the Trion development presents challenging technical conditions for drilling and well construction,” said Wallace Pescarini, President of SLB Offshore Atlantic. “SLB has extensive global experience in ultra-deep-water operations and the advanced technologies—including AI-driven solutions and digitally enabled hardware—needed to deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality results. Our strategic investment in local talent and supply chains in Mexico will also be key to the timely execution of this project.”

Despite the promise of economic benefits and energy development, the Trion project has drawn some scrutiny over potential environmental and logistical risks. Concerns include the complexity of operating at extreme depths, the risk of harm to sensitive marine ecosystems, and the challenge of aligning project timelines with evolving regulatory standards. The project also raises questions about long-term emissions targets, as global energy markets increasingly shift toward decarbonization.

This latest award builds on SLB’s existing involvement in the Trion development. In 2023, the SLB OneSubsea™ joint venture was selected to supply subsea horizontal trees, control systems, and topside equipment, with manufacturing currently underway.

In addition to the Trion contract, SLB recently secured a series of multi-year drilling contracts with Shell to support its deep- and ultra-deep-water projects in the UK North Sea, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Gulf of Mexico, further reinforcing SLB’s role in advancing global offshore energy development.