AWE starts appraisal drilling at Waitsia-1 well in Western Australia

Australia based oil and gas exploration and production company AWE has started drilling operations at the Waitsia-1 appraisal well in in the Perth Basin, Western Australia.

Prior to the installation of 13 3/8 inch surface casing at the site, the firm will conduct the drilling to a planned section depth of 570m MDRT.

According to the project planning, the well will be drilled vertically till a planned total depth of 4,050m MDRT, which is expected to continue for nearly six weeks.

The appraisal well has been designed to check for the gas potential at the site which features primary targets in deep conventional formations in the Kingia and High Cliff Sandstones.

AWE will start logging and collect core samples from the well, which will be sent for analysis.

The firm intends to intersect intersect the shallower Dongara and Wagina tight sandstone formations, the Carynginia Shale and Irwin River Coal Measures before the primary targets.

Positive results from the appraisal will be followed by a flow test at the well, which will then be considered as a production well for potential future field development.

The approved programme at the site excludes hydraulic fracture stimulation.

The well is the second among the three planned wells in the Perth Basin which have been planned to be drilled within this year. The third drilling operation will be done at the Waitsia-2 appraisal well in the latter part of the year.