Beach Energy confirmed, following the successful single-stage fracture stimulation targeting the Patchawarra formation in the Southern Cooper Basin, that the Encounter-1 well flowed through a separator at a rate in excess of 500,000 cu ft per day. This flow is expected to improve as the well is further opened up and with the reduction of stimulation fluid over the coming days.

The well will be flow tested for approximately 6 weeks, after which the test will be suspended and the well shut-in until the return of the fracture stimulation spread in June or July. At that time the remaining target sections in the well will be fracture stimulated.

Reg Nelson, managing director, said, “This Patchawarra flow result is significant. It reinforces our belief that, in addition to the considerable shale gas play, the central part of the Nappamerri Trough in the Cooper Basin hosts a sizeable basin centered gas play. The one thing we do know is that this resource is now a potential game changing asset for not just Beach Energy, but for the Australian east coast gas market as a whole.”