Documents and sources indicate that Mexico's Pemex intends to reopen its wells in order to boost production.

According to four sources and two documents, the Mexican energy company Pemex is planning to reopen some old wells to increase production. It's a desperate attempt to meet a government-set target.

Pemex has said that in a recent filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, it expects to see production fall to 1,58 million barrels per daily (bpd) instead of the 1.8 millions bpd officials had consistently touted.

Angel Cid Munguia wrote in a May 6 internal document that the company was progressing with "reactivation" of closed wells, but did not specify the number.

Four sources familiar with the plan said that the specifics would depend both on the risk profiles and production rates of the wells onshore and off-shore, as well as the ones which could ramp up the production the fastest.

Pemex didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.

Mexico has over 31,000 onshore and off shore wells, but about a third are closed. Data shared showed. Over 4,800 wells have been deemed "operational" in terms of hydrocarbon production.

One source who has studied the closed wells closely said that the reactivation of wells depends on geological data, funding, well mechanics and the recovery factor for each well.

Although the documents did not specify the exact technology that would be used to reactivate the old wells, companies in other mature fields have used expensive specialized equipment to continue to bring hydrocarbon products up to the surface despite a slowdown in production.

(source: Reuters)