Exxon Mobil Corporation will start drilling its first exploratory well off the coast of Liberia in November. The company will drill a deepwater exploration well on the Liberia-13 Block, located about 50 miles offshore of the country, Liberian Observer reported.

Exxon Regional Public and Government Affairs Adviser, Matthew Scharf, said it was not known how much drilling would cost or how long it would take. Furthermore, the Canadian Overseas Petroleum (COPL), a junior partner in ExxonMobil’s Block LB-13 offshore Liberia, had earlier announced that it would continue exploring the oil block for another 18 months. Yet, it is too soon to tell if any finds will be oil or gas in either block, according to Reuters.

Liberia does not produce oil unlike its eastern neighbor, Ivory Coast, which produces about 53,000b/d, and Ghana, the next country along the West African coast, which pumps about 100,000b/d. Accordingly, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Liberia’s president, Clarence Moniba, said: “this project will create jobs for Liberians and help the economy if they can find oil of commercial quality.”