Santos Ltd. said April 9 it has identified two new plays with significant resource potential in Australia’s Cooper Basin.

The news was shared as the company announced the completion of the Moomba South Patchawarra Formation phase 1 appraisal program. The new plays were identified in the Granite Wash and Fractured Granite intervals, which are hydrocarbon saturated and flowing on test.

“The Granite Wash has recently shown to be a proven producing horizon on the flanks of the Moomba North field. The majority of the Moomba South appraisal wells penetrated this interval improving the overall understanding of this play,” Santos said in the release. “A number of the appraisal wells have been tested and flowed stabilized gas rates from intervals of elevated gas shows through the Granite Wash. Stimulation and testing of the Fractured Granite in one of the eight wells has also demonstrated stable gas flows to surface.”

The company said it plans to continue appraisal of the new basin-opening plays during the next phase of appraisal.

In addition, Santos confirmed a significant gas resource during the Moomba South phase 1 appraisal program. The program resulted in seven new wells now producing in the Cooper Basin, Kevin Gallagher, CEO and managing director for Santos, said in the release.

The appraisal program targeted gas resources in the Lower and Middle Patchawarra Formation.

A peak stabilized single-well gas flow of 8.7 million standard cubic feet per day was established. Another well drilled as part of the program was plugged and abandoned. The wells were drilled to a total depths ranging from 3,034 m to 3,303 m.

The targets are proven productive intervals in the adjacent Big Lake and Moomba North fields, the company said. Gas pay in the wells, which were stimulated with between four to six stages, ranged from 16 m to 64 m, the company said.

Preliminary gas sample analysis indicates a higher natural gas liquids content and lower CO2 content compared to the adjacent and overlying Moomba Field production areas. Additional analysis is underway to confirm the gas composition and associated gas liquids volumes, Santos said.

The company also reported significant upside in the Toolachee, Daralingie and Epsilon reservoir complexes.

Results of the appraisal program will be used to inform field development planning for the Moomba South project. Planning is under way for further drilling on Moomba South toward year-end 2019. This may include horizontal wells to further appraise the field, Santos said.

The Moomba South appraisal program is located in PPL 8 and PPL 9. Santos holds 66.6% interest and serves as operator, while partner Beach Energy Ltd. holds 33.4%.