ExxonMobil has hired Shearwater Geoservices to carry out a deepwater 3D seismic campaign on an offshore block off Trinidad and Tobago, Shearwater said on Thursday. The survey, covering about 6,000 square kilometres, is set to start in the first quarter of 2026 and will run for five months, at depths ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 meters. The operation marks a key step in developing a large block created by the merger of seven previous blocks, for which Exxon signed a production-sharing contract last August with the local government.

Located north of the prolific Stabroek block off Guyana, the area has strong geological potential. ExxonMobil aims to build on its regional expertise developed in Guyana, where it has already confirmed more than 11 billion barrels of recoverable resources, to accelerate exploration in Trinidad and Tobago. The company plans to use existing equipment and infrastructure in the region to move faster than in Guyana, according to past comments from its vice president for exploration.

The new initiative is part of Exxon's expansion strategy in the Caribbean basin, where growth in offshore output is drawing increasing interest. ExxonMobil was not immediately available for comment.