Drillsearch Energy encounters wet gas in Australian prospect

Drillsearch Energy has discovered gas at the Southend-1 exploration well in Australia’s onshore Cooper Basin, marking the completion of the Western Wet Gas Fairway exploration campaign.

The well, located in PEL 107, encountered wet gas shows in sands within two intervals, Patchawarra Formation and Tirrawarra Sandstone, with possible hydrocarbon liquids content.

The exploration campaign targeted both formations, located on the Western Flank of the South Australian Cooper Basin.

Drillsearch Energy will now case and suspend the well for future cased-hole extended production testing in the Patchawarra Formation to determine deliverability, volume and composition of gas.

Several drill stem tests (DST) were undertaken over two intervals, wherein a three minute gas flow was discovered that confirms a potential movable gas.

Beach Energy, as operator, holds 40% in PEL 107, and has also acquired 39 percussion sidewall cores from the Toolachee Formation, Roseneath Shale, Epsilon Formation, Murteree Shale and Patchawarra Formation for unconventional gas evaluation and palynological studies.

Southend-1 exploration well is located 5km southwest of Santos’ Raven Wet Gas Field and 10km south of the Middleton-Brownlow Wet Gas field.

Drillsearch will now move the Ensign 30 rig west from PEL 107 to Beach’s PEL 92 permit, where further PEL 91 oil wells will be spud by mid-year.

Image: The Southend-1 exploration well is located in Australia’s onshore Cooper Basin (pictured). Photo:Beach Energy.