BP already has completed eight out of 15 exploration wells so far this year, and revealed it has notched up two discoveries at the Captor prospect offshore Angola, and at Notus offshore Egypt.

Reporting progress in its first quarter results, group chief executive Bob Dudley also noted success in the latest Gulf of Mexico (GoM) lease sale where it was the highest bidder on 24 out of 31 blocks on offer, following the lifting by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in March of the debarment against BP from participation in lease sales after the Deepwater Horizon blowout and oil spill in April 2010.

Dudley said bidding in the latest lease round shows the Anglo-American oil giant still has an appetite for exploration there, saying the decision to bid in the round “....demonstrates our continued commitment to the Gulf of Mexico."

Also in the GoM, Dudley highlighted ongoing developments, with startups on NaKika phase 3, Mars B and at the Chirag oil project offshore Azerbaijan.

Offshore