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- Samples collected across the Walton-Morant Licence, an extensive 22,000-square-kilometre exploration zone.
- Laboratory tests found butane and pentane (C4, C5), signals consistent with a possible thermogenic origin rather than biogenic gas.
- Brian Larkin said results inform a drilling decision and farm-out to advance the "world-class" licence containing about seven billion prospective resources.
- Past slick anomalies and modelling prompted comparisons to the Guyana-Suriname basin and ExxonMobil, yet scientists warn substances may be non-commercial sludge.
Oil Found in Seabed Samples off Jamaica’s Southern Coast
A recent seabed survey has confirmed the presence of oil indicators off the southern coast of Jamaica, marking a potentially significant development for the region’s offshore energy prospects. United Oil & Gas Plc announced the findings following the analysis of 42 piston cores collected during its 2026 Seabed Geochemical Exploration survey.
The samples were gathered from the Walton-Morant Licence, an extensive 22,000-square-kilometre exploration zone. Laboratory tests on the seabed and ocean samples identified butanes and pentanes, which are classified as C4 and C5 hydrocarbons. The company noted that these hydrocarbons are typically not linked to biogenic gas systems, stating that their presence is “consistent with a potential thermogenic contribution”. This suggests the substances originated from organic matter buried deep within the earth and processed by heat, which is the same geological mechanism that creates commercial oil and gas deposits.
Brian Larkin, CEO of United Oil & Gas, emphasized the importance of the discovery. “We have identified butane and pentane hydrocarbons in the analysis. These results enhance our understanding of the licence and provide an important input as we advance towards a drilling decision,” Larkin said. He further highlighted the scale of the area’s potential, noting that the ongoing technical evaluation will support the company’s farm-out process to advance the “world-class licence, which contains approximately seven billion of prospective resources”.
This latest data adds to a growing body of evidence hinting at substantial resources in the area. United Oil & Gas had previously recorded repeated slick anomalies in the licence zone and conducted extensive 2D and 3D modeling to evaluate the geology. Observers and industry experts have even drawn comparisons between Jamaica’s offshore geological makeup and the highly lucrative Guyana-Suriname basin, where ExxonMobil and its partners have made a series of major discoveries in recent years.
Despite the promising indicators, a degree of caution remains. Scientists have previously warned that the untested, dark, oil-like substances observed in Jamaican waters could turn out to be non-commercial sludge rather than recoverable crude oil. This uncertainty highlights the critical nature of the 2026 survey’s ongoing lab work to determine whether these multi-billion-barrel prospective resources can translate into commercial viability
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