Woodside misses at Achernar offshore well

Australian oil and gas company Woodside has reportedly drilled a duster at its Achernar prospect in the Dampier sub-basin offshore W. Australia.

Illustration: North Rankin Complex, North West Shelf Project, Western Australia

The piece of news on the Achernar drilling outcome was shared on Wednesday by BHP, Woodside’s partner in the WA-28-P permit where the well is located.

BHP said that the Achernar well, spudded in May, came up dry and was plugged an abandoned.

The well was drilled at a water depth of 122 meters and had targeted gas, in an early Jurassic North Rankin bed reservoir, near the existing gas discoveries at North Rankin and Lambert Deep. The total well depth was 3285 meters. The Achernar well was drilled using the Ocean Apex semi-submersible drilling rig, owned by Diamond Offshore.

The closest landfall to the permit area are the islands of the Dampier Archipelago, which are approximately 85 km south south-east at the closest point.

BHP did not provide any further update on the expected activities in the WA-28-P license. Woodside has previously planned drilling up to six exploration and appraisal wells in the license, however, it has been said that those wells would be decided on based on the Achernar results.

Offshore Energy Today Staff


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