Deputy head of the Oil and Gas and Coal Department Dang Hai Anh said Murphy Oil is currently involved in exploration activities in Blocks 144-145 and 15-1, 15-2, with encouraging outcomes in recent years.

Murphy Oil began drilling an exploration well at Hai Su Vang in 2024 and successfully drilled the HSV-2X appraisal well in 2025 to assess the field’s size, reserves and production potential. The field is considered to have significant potential, the ministry said.

According to Murphy Oil, the HSV-2X well confirmed thicker oil-bearing zones, with total net oil pay of 429 feet (131 metres), compared with about 370 feet (113 metres at two reservoirs) recorded by the initial discovery well earlier in 2025.

The main reservoir is estimated to produce about 6,000 barrels of oil per day. The crude has high quality at 37 degrees API, consistent with results from the initial discovery well and indicating geological continuity with the Hai Su Vang-1X well.

The firm said the latest appraisal results suggest the Hai Su Vang field is larger than previously estimated, prompting an upward revision of recoverable resources. Mean recoverable volumes in the main reservoir are now assessed at the high end of a range of 170 million to 430 million barrels of oil equivalent, with potential to exceed 430 million barrels.

In addition to the main reservoir, new data also confirmed the presence of oil in a shallower reservoir, which had not previously been included in resource estimates. Murphy Oil said further appraisal wells would be drilled to fully evaluate the field’s potential.

Under current regulations, investors are required to continue appraisal work and submit resource and reserve reports to competent authorities for approval. The ministry said it would coordinate with PetroVietnam and relevant agencies to review and assess the results.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan said the discovery is a positive development for Vietnam’s energy sector. The country’s oil output in 2025 stood at around 10 million tonnes, while gas production reached about 6 billion cubic metres, he added.

Vietnam supports oil and gas cooperation expansion with Russia

VOV.VN - Vietnam supports and will continue to facilitate the expansion of oil and gas cooperation with Russia, particularly through the joint ventures Vietsovpetro and Rusvietpetro, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Sergei Kudryashov, General Director of Russia’s oil and gas company Zarubezhneft.