Wireline log and pressure data from the Waitsia-1 appraisal well in Australia’s Perth Basin has confirmed a 95 m gross gas column across three conventional reservoir intervals in the Waitsia Field, AWE Ltd. said in a news release. The results confirmed initial results from the Senecio-3 discovery well, identifying upside potential.

The well was drilled to a revised total depth of 3,507 m measured depth below rotary table (MDRT), having drilled successfully through the full prospective section and into the Holmwood Shale, the release said. The primary and secondary targets were penetrated at depths close to prognosis with good gas shows being encountered in the Kingia, High Cliff and Dongara sandstones. Gas shows were also observed in the Irwin River Coal Measures and the Carynginia Shale.

A gas-water contact for the Waitsia Field was established at 3,350 m total vertical depth subsea (3,432 m MDRT) which is about 350 m below the top of the mapped structure. Wireline pressure data indicate that the three good quality reservoir intervals in the Kingia and High Cliff sandstones are likely to be continuous with equivalent zones in the Senecio-3 well, the release said. Overall reservoir quality appears to be better than Senecio-3 with considerable thickening of the High Cliff Sandstone pay interval. Conventional net gas pay for the well is interpreted to be 18m with average porosity of 18%. Preliminary compositional analysis indicates CO2 levels of less than 4%, which is consistent with Senecio-3.

A tight gas reservoir, equivalent in quality to Senecio-3, was also encountered in the shallower Dongara Sandstone and further confirms the extent of the Senecio Field, AWE said.

The data acquired so far support the previously announced gross 2C contingent resource estimate of 290 Bcf of gas for the Waitsia Field, and the thickening of the net conventional gas pay in Waitsia-1 indicates considerable potential upside, AWE said in the release. The gas-bearing intervals appear to be in pressure communication across the northern culmination from Senecio-3, indicating that this region of the field has sufficient resources for commercial development. Planning for early production from Waitsia-1 and Senecio-3 is under way.

The Waitsia-1 appraisal well is located on agricultural land about 3 km east of the Senecio-3 well and 17 km east of Dongara, Western Australia. It is the second of a three-well drilling program planned for the Perth Basin in 2015, the release said. After completion of operations at Waitsia-1, the drilling rig will move to the Waitsia-2 location 5.5 km to the southwest to evaluate the southern extent of the field. The primary target for this well will again be conventional reservoirs in the Kingia and High Cliff sandstones. The joint venture partners in L1/L2 are operator AWE Ltd. (via subsidiaries), 50.0% and Origin Energy Resources Ltd., 50.0%.