Exxon Mobil Corp. successfully drilled its second shale oil and gas well this year in Argentina.

The Invernada X-3 well, located in the Vaca Muerta unconventional deposit in Neuquen province, is producing 448 bbl/d of oil and 28 Mcm/d (1 MMcf/d) of gas, Exxon said in an emailed statement. Exxon owns 85% of the venture with provincial energy producer Gas y Petroleo del Neuquen SA controlling the remainder.

Exxon, which has interests in about 900,000 acres in Vaca Muerta, is among foreign energy companies including Chevron Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc developing shale fields in the Belgium-sized deposit that holds at least 23 Bbbl of oil, according to a 2012 survey by Ryder Scott. At 30,000 sq km (11,583 sq miles), Vaca Muerta is almost twice the size of the Eagle Ford shale formation in Texas.

The Invernada well is located 20 km (12 miles) from Bajo del Choique, the first well discovered in May, and was drilled at a depth of 4,686 m (15,374 ft).