Australia’s WestSide Corporation Ltd. (ASX: WCL) has begun the drilling phase on the MER03X exploration well in PL 94 near Moura, Queensland.
WestSide spudded the MER03X well on Feb. 16. Dominion Drilling's DR02 rig will drill this exploration core hole to a target depth of 465 meters, targeting the Baralaba Coal Measures and the Kaloola Formation.
After drilling is complete, core samples will then be sent to BJ Services in the United States for fracture stimulation testing.
The well is the sixth in an exploration program designed to increase the Meridian SeamGas joint venture's gross proved and probable reserves by up to 200 petajoules. Previously, the MER08V appraisal well, which reached its target depth of 641 meters on January 28 2011, intersected the targeted Baralaba Coal Measures and Kaloola Formation with total net coal measured exceeding 15 meters.
The thicknesses of the previously ignored upper V and Y seams intersected by MER08V were in line with expectations.
The inclusion of these seams should assist in increasing Meridian's reserves. IFO and step rate tests are now underway on these new seams in this well which will then be cased as a future producer.
The MER11V well was drilled to 815.95 meters before the hole became unstable. It is currently being plugged and abandoned. A replacement well is scheduled to be drilled with the Schramm TXD rig later in the program.
Recommended Reading
Chevron Boosts Oil, NatGas Recovery in Gulf of Mexico
2024-09-03 - Chevron’s Jack/St. Malo and Tahiti facilities have produced 400 MMboe and 500 MMboe, respectively.
CNOOC Makes Ultra-deepwater Discovery in the Pearl River Mouth Basin
2024-09-11 - CNOOC drilled a natural gas well in the ultra-deepwater area of the Liwan 4-1 structure in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. The well marks the first major breakthrough in China’s ultra-deepwater carbonate exploration.
CNOOC’s Bohai Bay Well Achieves High Yield
2024-07-11 - CNOOC’s Bozhong 19-6 Condensate Gas Field D1 well, the first ultra-deep well in China’s Bohai Bay, is currently producing approximately 6,300 boe/d.
Southeast Asia NatGas Projects Could Unlock $100B Boom- Rystad
2024-07-17 - Southeast Asia's offshore gas industry is set for a $100 billion boom by 2028, driven by a flurry of final investment decisions by oil and gas majors and national oil companies, according to Rystad Energy.
Comet Ridge Awarded Mahalo Far East Extension for 6-year Term
2024-07-22 - Comet Ridge was awarded 100% ownership and operator of Australia’s Mahalo Far East Extension for an initial term of 6 years.