Vintage Energy spuds Nangwarry-1 well in onshore Otway Basin

Vintage Energy’s joint venture (JV) partner Otway Energy has spudded the Nangwarry-1 well in the onshore Otway Basin in Victoria, Australia.

Vintage Energy and Otway Energy each own 50% in the Otway Basin JV.

The onshore and offshore Otway Basin extends more than 500km from Cape Jaffa in South Australia to north-west Tasmania.

The planned total depth (TD) of the well is 4,350m, and the company expects the drilling and logging operations to commence in over 45 days.

The well will also be tested for gas flow after successful completion of the drilling programme.

According to Vintage Energy, the well was spudded using an Easternwell Rig 106, which is a fully automated 1,500hp drilling rig that is designed to drill depths of 5,000m.

The JV received a South Australian Government PACE gas grant of $4.95m, which will partially fund the drilling of Nangwarry-1.

Vintage Energy managing director Neil Gibbins said: “The Penola Trough in the onshore Otway Basin has recently been reinvigorated with the drilling of Haselgrove-4 and the more recent Dombey-1 DW1.

“Nangwarry-1 is part of an extremely busy schedule of activity ahead for Vintage. Should the well be successful, it would extend the proven Pretty Hill Sandstone play province, as well as the new Sawpit Sandstone, play province.

“Commercial gas, should it be discovered from the Nangwarry prospect, has the potential to supply much needed gas to local industry in the South East of South Australia, as well as the South Australian market more generally.”

The Nangwarry prospect has a best estimate gross prospective resource of 57bcf and net prospective resource of 28.5bcf, Vintage Energy said.

Nearby infrastructure along the prospect includes the Katnook gas processing plant located 10km to the north-west of the prospect.