AWE drills Irwin-1 exploration well onshore Perth Basin, Western Australia

AWE has drilled the Irwin-1 exploration well, located at onshore Perth Basin, Western Australia, to a measured depth of 2,770m.

The Irwin-1 exploration well is located approximately 22.7kms east of Dongara, Western Australia, and is the first of a three-well drilling programme planned for the Perth Basin this year.

The Irwin prospect overlaps the EP320 and L1 boundary.

AWE is undertaking the Irwin-1drilling programme as part of an agency agreement with joint venture partner, Origin Energy.

Origin Energy subsidiaries operates EP320 with 67% interest and AWE has 33%, while AWE operates L1 through subsidiaries with 50% interest and Origin Energy holds the remaining 50%.

The company that said it is preparing to pull the drill string out of the hole prior to running 9-5/8in casing.

Spudded on 25 March 2015, the Irwin-1 exploration well will be drilled vertically to a planned total depth of 4,064m and is expected to take approximately seven weeks to complete.

The well aims to test the gas potential to the east of the Senecio and Waitsia gas fields and is targeting the Dongara and Wagina tight sandstone formations, the Carynginia Shale and Irwin River Coal Measures, as well as deeper conventional targets in the Kingia and High Cliff Sandstones.

The company will carry out a flow test of the Irwin-1 well to establish the reservoirs’ commercial potential, if the results are positive.

Following completion of Irwin-1 well, AWE will drill Waitsia-1 and Waitsia-2 appraisal wells on the newly discovered Waitsia gas field.