Vessel offshore Jamaica to test billion-barrel oil prospect this week
Published:Sunday | January 25, 2026 | 12:06 AM
A research vessel departed Trinidad last weekend bound for Jamaica to conduct seabed surveys, starting this week, aimed at confirming whether oil-like substances detected beneath the island’s waters are commercially viable crude.
“This survey represents a key milestone in advancing our Jamaica exploration programme,” said Brian Larkin, CEO of United Oil & Gas in a release. “The results will play a central role in derisking the licence and informing future strategic decisions as we continue to unlock the potential value of over 7.1 billion barrels of unrisked prospective resources.”
The UK-based United Oil & Gas Plc said on Tuesday that the R/V Gyre, operated by TDI Brooks International, was expected to reach Kingston in “five to six days” and begin offshore operations around January 27. The survey will use seabed coring and heat-flow measurements to test for thermogenic hydrocarbons — evidence of an active petroleum system.
Jamaica has attracted petroleum interest for years based on seismic data suggesting substantial hydrocarbon deposits offshore. Previous surveys identified oil-like substances, but confirmation requires analysis of seabed samples to determine whether the material represents crude or non-petroleum hydrocarbons.
The current survey differs from exploratory drilling, which would require upward of US$30 million in capital that United Oil & Gas lacks. The London-listed company is seeking partners to fund eventual drilling operations. The seabed survey, while less expensive, aims to reduce drilling risk by confirming hydrocarbon presence before committing to costlier exploration wells.
The vessel will first conduct multibeam echo sounder surveys to map seabed features, followed by heat-flow measurements and piston coring operations. Scientists will target seafloor depressions and pockmarks — features associated with hydrocarbon seepage — some extending several hundred meters in diameter.
Core samples will be shipped to TDI Brooks’ US laboratory for analysis. Preliminary results are expected one to two months after fieldwork concludes, with final analysis around mid-2026.
The survey focuses on the Walton Morant Licence zone, which stretches along the entire southern coast of Jamaica.