Noble Energy has confirmed it has raised its estimate of discovered resources on its Rio Grande complex in the Gulf of Mexico to 50-100 MMboe gross.

The US independent has sanctioned both the Big Bend portion of Rio Grande and the Gunflint discovery as subsea tieback projects, while also saying it had made an exploration discovery on the Troubadour prospect. The company also went on in its recent third quarter financial results to add that drilling is now under way on its Dantzler middle Miocene prospect in the GoM, which has a gross resource estimate of 55-220 MMBoe. Noble holds a 45% working interest in the prospect.

A well was also drilled and brought online at the non-operated Ticonderoga field during the quarter. This well is expected to ramp up to 3,500 boe/d net in the fourth quarter. Production in the deepwater GoM averaged 19,000 boe/d for the third quarter of 2013, it added.

In the eastern Mediterranean, the deepwater Tamar field reported nearly 100% uptime for the quarter and a natural gas production rate of more than 1 Bcf/d at certain peak intra-day demand periods. Despite cooler temperatures in July and the holidays in September, Israel production averaged a record 255 MMcf/d, a 16% increase compared to Q2 2013.

The compression project at the Ashdod onshore receiving terminal is also continuing to progress, added Noble, and is currently about 30% complete.

A rig is currently on location drilling the Tamar SW exploration prospect offshore Israel, with the probe expected to reach total depth by the end of the year. Tamar SW has a gross resource range of 500-900 Bcf of gas.

In Cyprus, it also confirmed that the Cyprus A-2 appraisal well encountered the presence of high-quality sands and confirmed strong deliverability. Gross mean resources at the Cyprus A discovery are now put at 5 Tcf of natural gas. A 3D seismic shoot covering approximately 1,500 square miles was completed on Cyprus Block 12 to better define additional exploration potential.

Offshore