United Oil & Gas plc (AIM:UOG) reported that geochemical analysis of 42 piston cores recovered across the Walton‑Morant licence offshore Jamaica identified C4 and C5 hydrocarbons, including butanes and pentanes, in the headspace gas dataset — molecules the company says are not typical of biogenic systems and are therefore consistent with a potential thermogenic contribution.
The results form part of a wider evidence package for an active petroleum system on the licence, the company said. United pointed to repeat satellite slick anomalies, thermogenic hydrocarbon geochemistry from existing onshore and offshore wells, onshore and offshore oil seeps, onshore surface outcrops and petroleum‑systems modelling that suggests oil‑mature source rocks.
The 2026 SGE survey is the first on the licence to be optimally positioned using 3D seismic, multibeam echosounder seabed mapping (MBES) and satellite‑derived slick anomaly data, United added. The company will integrate the piston core dataset into its geological models and risking work and said the results will feed ongoing technical evaluation and farm‑out discussions as it moves toward a drilling decision.
"The 2026 piston core survey results represent an important step forward in our understanding of the Walton Morant licence. 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. We look forward to integrating the results into our subsurface work and continuing to progress discussions with interested parties. We believe United's technical evaluation of the licence's potential will support our ongoing farm‑out process as we work to advance this world‑class licence which contains approximately 7 billion of prospective resources," Brian Larkin, CEO, said.
