Australia: QGC to Start Natural Gas Exploration Campaign in Bowen Basin

QGC Pty Limited is about to start exploring for natural gas in the Bowen Basin. The company will drill several wells over the next 18 months, some to about 4.5km deep. These wells are aimed at sandstone formations up to 1km below aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin and are similar to gas wells being drilled in the Cooper Basin in Central Australia and the Perth Basin in Western Australia.

 Given the depth of these wells, which can each take up to two months to drill, the rig is larger than those used in coal seam gas drilling, standing about 45 metres high when operating. The extremely compact rock formations up to 4.5km underground mean that wells may require hydraulic fracturing if gas is discovered. Hydraulic fracturing is common in oil and gas exploration and production around the world.

 International drilling company Weatherford has been contracted to drill up to four wells this year and is scheduled to drill at least one or two wells in 2012 on QGC tenements near Taroom and west of Condamine and Moura.

 Drilling of the first well north of Taroom is scheduled to start in August.

QGC Pty Limited is a leading Australian coal seam gas explorer and producer focused on supplying gas to domestic and international markets. QGC is establishing one of Australia’s largest capital infrastructure projects to turn Queensland’s world-class coal seam gas reserves into liquefied natural gas. Queensland Curtis LNG, a priority project for QGC, involves expanding exploration and development in southern and central Queensland and transporting gas through a 540km underground pipeline network to Curtis Island near Gladstone where it will be liquefied.

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Source:QGC , July 26, 2011;