Bengal Energy Ltd. (Toronto: BNG.TO) has announced that the authority to prospect (ATP) 752P joint venture, in which it holds 30.4% and 38% working interests in the Barta and Wompi sub-blocks respectively, has completed the exploration drilling program Nubba-1 (in the Wompi sub-block) and Wicho East-1 (in the Barta sub-block). The ATP 752P exploration permit is located within Australia's Cooper Basin.

New Natural Gas Discovery at Wompi (ATP 752)

The company announced a new natural gas discovery in the Wompi sub-block that adds another focus area within a well-established producing fairway which has demonstrated multi-zone production potential. The Nubba-1 well location was selected using 3D seismic data and was designed to evaluate the oil bearing sands currently producing from the offsetting Bowen Field located 2.1 km to the northeast. The Nubba-1 well encountered light oil shows in five different Jurassic reservoir bearing formations and the well also intersected up to 6.2 m of gas pay in the Permian Toolachee Formation with reservoir pressure data indicating a potential gas column of up to 70 m. Based on these findings, the operator has cased the well as a potential Toolachee gas well. Completion and testing of this new discovery will be announced when finalized with the joint venture parties.

Barta Exploration and Phase 2 Drilling (ATP 752P)

The Wicho East-1 well, the second of two exploration wells drilled in the Barta sub-block in 2014, failed to intersect a commercial hydrocarbon accumulation and has been plugged and abandoned. The Wicho East-1 well, which had a primary target in the deeper Jurassic Hutton horizon, was a step-out beyond Bengal's currently evaluated Cuisinier Field reserves area and will not have an impact on the company's 2014 booked Cuisinier reserves which are focused exclusively on the Cretaceous Murta horizon.

Phase Two drilling operations have commenced at the Cuisinier Field, with four to seven development and appraisal wells to be drilled. Building on the success of Phase One, the goal of the Phase Two program is to appraise and potentially extend the extent of the Cuisinier pool and should increase reserves and production. The company is also advancing activities on other exploration assets that are expected to fuel future growth with a second carried well expected in the second half of 2015 in Bengal's Tookoonooka permit (ATP 732), located in the emerging East Flank oil fairway of the Cooper Basin.

The company is based in Calgary.