Santos to invest in drilling and appraisal programme in Mereenie field, Australia

Australia-based Santos is planning to invest about $100m in a drilling and appraisal programme in the northern territory of onshore Mereenie field in Amadeus Basin, over the next 12 months.

The company said the Mereenie appraisal and development drilling programme will target oil and natural gas resources.

The Mereenie field has produced about 16 million barrels of oil and condensate and over 240 billion cubic feet of sales gas.

The Mereenie field is located in Amadeus Basin, onshore central Australia, about 300km west of Alice Springs. It has two main fields from which oil and gas are produced, called West Mereenie and East Mereenie.

The fields produce from about 57 wells through nearly 80km of pipelines and flowlines through the eastern satellite station (ESS) and the central treatment plant (CTP).

Santos Mereenie asset manager Mark Buckland said that Mereenie field holds enough oil and natural gas reserves to extend the life of the field beyond 2030.

"The safe and sustainable development of this project has the potential to deliver economic benefits through jobs, revenue and royalties for many years," Buckland added.

"This project is only in its early stages but already we have provided work to Aboriginal people and we will continue to work with the Central Land Council to provide more employment opportunities."

Santos has signed an agreement with Central Petroleum over 13 permits in the Amadeus and Pedirka Basins, as well as a farm-in agreement with Tamboran Resources over four permits in the McArthur Basin.

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Image: Santos is planning to invest about $100m in drilling and appraisal programme in Mereenie field in Amadeus Basin. Photo: Courtesy of Helen Wilkinson.