Predator Oil & Gas has begun a new drilling campaign on its offshore Trinidad licences in the Columbus Basin, aiming to test exploration prospects and appraise subsurface structures previously defined on seismic data.

The opening well in the programme, Columbus-3, has now been spudded using the jackup Ocean BlackRhino, operated by Diamond Offshore. The well is designed to investigate potential hydrocarbon-bearing intervals in the southern part of the licence area and to examine both structural traps and stratigraphic targets.

According to Predator Oil & Gas, operations are currently on track with the planned timetable, with attention focused on safe well delivery, real-time data gathering, and detailed subsurface analysis. The company said additional wells may be drilled after the Columbus-3 results and formation logging data have been evaluated.