Australia: Beach Energy Provides September Drilling Report

October 3, 2012

Australia’s Beach Energy has released the following monthly drilling report for September 2012.

Operated Cooper Basin Unconventional Gas Program

Marble-1, the fifth vertical exploration well in PEL 218 (Beach 100%), was spudded on 30 September 2012 by the newbuild Ensign 965 rig. The Marble-1 vertical exploration well will continue to evaluate the shale and basin-centred gas potential in the REM and Patchawarra Formation and is located 10 kilometres west of Holdfast-1. The planned total depth of the well is 3,880 metres.

In ATP 855P (Beach 60%), the Halifax-1 vertical exploration well is currently at a depth of 4,006 metres. This well, along with the four previously drilled in PEL 218, is designed to evaluate the unconventional shale gas and basin centred gas potential in the REM and Patchawarra Formation intervals in the Nappamerri Trough. A 24 metre core was cut in the Epsilon Formation and a separate 25 metre core in the mid-Patchawarra Formation, with gas shows observed from mud logs to date. The REM thickness was in line with prognosis at approximately 460 metres. Halifax-1 is located approximately 12 kilometres northeast of Encounter-1, and is expected to reach a total depth beyond its original target of 4,130 metres.

Santos Operated Cooper Basin Oil and Gas Development

The Big Lake-94 gas development well (Beach 20.21%) reached total depth and was cased and suspended during the month. The Saxon-182 rig subsequently moved to and completed drilling of the Bobs Well-3 gas development well, approximately 27 kilometres SSW from the Moomba Gas Plant. After intersecting gas in several sands within the Patchawarra Formation, the well has been cased and suspended for future production. Approximately 40 kilometres NW from Moomba, a second Saxon rig drilled Kanowana-9, with the well cased and suspended as a future liquids-rich gas production well.

In Queensland, a third Saxon rig drilled the Irtalie East-2 oil appraisal well within PL 36 (Beach 38.5%). In response to oil shows in the Hutton Sandstone, a drill stem test was conducted that recovered mostly formation water and no oil. The well was consequently plugged and abandoned, with the rig to move to the Irtalie East-3 location, about 2.2 kilometres westward of Irtalie East-2.

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LNG World News Staff, October 03, 2012; Image: Beach Energy