LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Britain's BP Plc said onWednesday it had made a significant oil discovery at its Gilaprospect in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
"The Gila discovery is a further sign that momentum isreturning to BP's drilling operations and well execution in theGulf of Mexico," said Richard Morrison, Regional President ofBP's Gulf of Mexico business.
BP, which co-owns the Gila prospect with ConocoPhillips, said appraisal drilling would now be required todetermine the size and potential commerciality of the discovery.
BP said it was the third significant discovery it had madein the Paleogene play in the Gulf of Mexico in recent years,following Kaskida in 2006 and Tiber in 2009.