‘Disappointing’ well results not halting gas search offshore Australia

February 10, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Amplitude Energy, an Australian gas production company focused on supplying the Southeast domestic gas market, has shed light on the results of drilling operations at an exploration well in the Otway Basin offshore Victoria, Australia.

Transocean Equinox rig; Source: Transocean

The preliminary drilling and logging data at the Elanora-1 exploration well in permit VIC/L24 within Commonwealth waters recorded no elevated gas readings in the primary target Waarre A reservoir, intersected at 1,766 meters true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS). The reservoir is interpreted to be water-bearing.

Located approximately 6 kilometers southwest from a tie-in point in the existing Casino, Henry, Netherby (CHN) pipeline, the prospect is operated by Amplitude Energy (50% interest) with O.G. Energy holding the remaining 50% stake.

The Otway offshore gas fields and facilities are situated about 30 kilometers off the coast of Port Campbell in water depths of about 60-70 metres. Gas production started in 2006 from the Casino field with subsequent stages integrating additional fields to supply continuing demand from the domestic market.

The Elanora-1 8 ½-inch hole section penetrated the primary Waarre A reservoir target and reached the planned total depth (TD) of 1,857 metres TVDSS on February 10, 2026, safely and without material incidents. TD, which was reached in 15 days from spud date, is said to be well ahead of budgeted schedule.

Jane Norman, Managing Director and CEO of Amplitude, commented: “While the result at Elanora is disappointing we continue the ECSP campaign with the Isabella prospect, targeting a separate reservoir to that tested by Elanora.”

The company’s forward plan entails Elanora-1 plugging and a sidetrack into the Isabella prospect to be drilled as planned, which is expected to take approximately 14-18 further days. Isabella lies immediately adjacent to Elanora, also in the VIC/L24 permit.

If the sidetrack drilling ends up being successful, evaluation of the discovery through logging while drilling (LWD) will be conducted immediately to assess the gas composition and quality of the reservoir.

The sidetrack is planned to be cased and completed with a subsea tree upon success, incorporating a flow test, and then suspended ready for development as part of the East Coast Supply Project (ECSP).

Norman continued: ”As previously communicated, on success Isabella is intended to be a producing field for the ECSP, while evaluation of Elanora was intended to inform our longer-term Otway Basin exploration and development plans.

“The result at Elanora, which was targeting Waarre A sands, does not impact our view of the probability of success of Waarre C sands targets such as Isabella, Juliet or Nestor.”

The rig contracted for the drilling work, as part of the Otway Basin consortium to reduce risk and costs, is Transocean’s Transocean Equinox semi-submersible.

The ECSP project is forecast to increase production and reduce the Athena gas plant‘s Scope 1 emissions, significantly lowering emissions intensity.