The prolific Mississippi Canyon block in the Gulf of Mexico has turned up a discovery for the duty-holding pair of BP and BHP plus block partners Noble Energy, Samson Offshore and Marathon Oil.

The so-called Freedom prospect in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico was drilled to total depth of almost nine kilometres but turned up 550 feet of net oil and gas pay in sandstone of the Miocene era.

Freedom lies 140 kilometres southeast of Lousiana’s coast in 1,860 metres of water. An appraisal is needed to trace the find’s true size.

"The Freedom well is our third discovery in this part of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico following our Tubular Bells and Kodiak discoveries," said BP America chief exec Andy Inglis.

He said Freedom likely straddles Mississippi Canyon Block 948 and Mississippi Canyon Block 992 which suggests partners in those blocks might be called on to help develop Freedom for the lowest risk.

Tags: BHP Billiton, BP America Inc., Marathon Oil Corporation