US Gulf oil production flow another well richer with more to come before year-end

June 17, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Beacon Offshore Energy, a Texas-based exploration and production company, has advanced two projects by bringing online a second well at a field in the Gulf of America (the U.S. Gulf of Mexico) and drilling another at a different development, which is anticipated to achieve first oil by the end of 2026.

Beacon has drilled the first Monument field development well located in Walker Ridge Block 315 to its total measured depth of 32,250 feet in a structurally high location, encountering 245 net feet true vertical thickness pay, which confirms pre-drill expectations of high-quality Lower Wilcox oil reservoirs consistent with wells drilled during the exploration and appraisal phase.

The rig operations at the field will continue with the drilling of the second Monument development well, followed by completion operations at the two initial wells. The U.S. company expects first oil to occur prior to year-end 2026. The Monument project is being developed via a two-well, 17-mile subsea tie-back to the Beacon-operated Shenandoah floating production system.

This asset has been designed as a regional host facility that will enable the development of resources in the northwestern area of Walker Ridge, including the Shenandoah, Monument, and Shenandoah South fields. Beacon is joined by Navitas Petroleum and Talos Energy in the Monument development.

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The Texas-based player also revealed the start-up of oil and natural gas production from a second well in the Zephyrus field (Zephyrus #2) in late April 2026. Zephyrus #2 was completed in the first quarter of 2026 and is producing from high-quality Miocene sands.

Combined with the first Zephyrus well (Zephyrus #1), which began production in late 2025, the field is expected to reach a peak production rate exceeding 20,000 boepd. This field is situated in Mississippi Canyon Block 759.

The Zephyrus development ties into the Shell-operated West Boreas subsea infrastructure with processing on the Olympus production platform in the Mars corridor. Beacon is joined by Houston Energy, HEQ II, Red Willow Offshore, Westlawn Americas Offshore, and Murphy Exploration & Production in the Zephyrus development.

First oil & gas well in US Gulf now online, second set to follow suit shortly

Exploration & Production

Scott Gutterman, Beacon’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are pleased to report continued execution success across our deep inventory of operated developments.

“The Monument drilling results support our subsurface interpretation of the field, while the successful startup of Zephyrus #2 further expands our growing production base. These milestones reflect the strength of our deepwater portfolio and our focus on value creation through disciplined execution.”