Several exploratory wells were dug for oil, but without success.
He knew Pemex had drilled exploratory wells in the region.
By 2012, exploratory wells established in the area yielded the first signs of crude oil.
This oil company had drilled seventeen exploratory wells in the past two years.
A decade ago, the norm was 1 producing well for each 10 exploratory wells drilled, according to the department.
It has drilled two exploratory wells at more than 7,000 feet.
It plans to drill a near-record 240 exploratory wells, up from 184 last year.
Nine of 15 exploratory wells have contained gas, a rate indicating high potential prospects.
BP is one of two oil companies to have drilled exploratory wells in the area about 20 years ago, but the results are proprietary.
To date efforts at production in Canada have been limited to exploratory wells.