OREANDA-NEWS. Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC; TSX: ECP) announces that its U.S. affiliate Ecopetrol America Inc. has made significant advancements in the exploration of the Norphlet Play throughout its partnership with Shell and Nexen Petroleum Offshore U.S.A Inc.

Shell, as operator in the partnership, announced that the Rydberg well was successful. This well is located 75 miles (120 kilometers) offshore in the Mississippi Canyon Block 525 in 7,479 feet (2,280 meters) of water. The well was drilled to a total depth of 26,371 feet (8,038 meters) and encountered approximately 400 feet (122 meters) of net oil pay.

This is the first discovery for the partnership of Shell Offshore Inc. (operator, 57.2%), Ecopetrol America Inc. (28.5%) and Nexen Petroleum Offshore U.S.A. Inc. (14.3%), a wholly-owned affiliate of CNOOC Limited.