Senex Energy Gemba Tests Successful
Australian energy company Senex Energy has successfully tested a gas exploration well in the Cooper Basin in South Australia.According to the Brisbane-based company The Gemba-1 well flowed 227,000 cubic metres (8 mcf) of gas per day over a period of a week."Senex Energy has successfully completed the initial flow test of the Gemba-1 gas exploration well in the Cooper Basin, with stabilised flow rates of approximately eight million standard cubic feet per day, plus associated liquids," said a stock exchange annoucement.Senex Managing Director and CEO Ian Davies said: “Senex is delivering on its strategy to become a material supplier of gas to the east coast market, and this Cooper Basin gas discovery adds another potential supply source from our growing portfolio.
Drillsearch Discovers Gas at Varanus South-1
Drillsearch Energy Limited announced a new wet gas discovery on the Western Cooper Wet Gas Fairway of the Cooper Basin. The Varanus South-1 well in PEL 513 (Drillsearch 40% and Santos 60% and Operator) is the first well to be drilled by Santos and Drillsearch under the joint venture between the companies announced in July 2013. Varanus South-1 was drilled to a total depth of 3,154 metres as a near-field exploration well. Drillsearch’s preliminary interpretation of wireline logs has confirmed an aggregate best estimate of 18 metres of net gas pay over a gross interval of 365 metres in the Patchawarra Formation and an additional 9 metres of net hydrocarbon pay over a gross interval of 37 metres in the Tirrawarra Formation, which was considered a secondary target.
Fracking Inquiry Puts Aussie Energy at Risk
The South Australian Liberal Party risks damaging investor and public confidence in the natural gas industry by moving to establish a Parliamentary inquiry into hydraulic fracturing – an industry practice that has been used safely in the State for many decades. APPEA’s Chief Operating Officer Western Region, Stedman Ellis, said the inquiry proposed by the Member for Mt Gambier had little basis in science. Mr Ellis said the South Australian Parliament needed to be wary that it did not provide a megaphone for people who want to undermine the industry and the investment and jobs it provided. “South Australia has consistently been ranked in international surveys as the most attractive Australian state for oil and gas investment,” Mr Ellis said.
New Western Flank Oil Discovery at Balgowan-1
Drillsearch Energy Limited announced that a new oil discovery at the Balgowan-1 exploration well in PEL 91 on the Western Flank Oil Fairway of the Cooper Basin. Wireline logs carried out at Balgowan-1 have confirmed a 9-metre gross oil column in the McKinlay-Namur and as a result, the well has been cased and suspended as a future oil producer, the 14th discovery in PEL 91. Analysis of the well results is continuing and Drillsearch will provide an update on the size of the discovery in due course. Balgowan-1 is located 3.6 kilometres northeast of the Stunsail-1 oil discovery. Following casing and suspension of Balgowan-1, the rig will now move to drill Burners-1, which is located midway between Balgowan-1 and Stunsail-1.
New Standard gets Revised Program for Cooper Basin Approved
New Standard Energy Limited (New Standard) advises that it has received approval for amendments to its five year work program in PEL570 in the Cooper Basin. As part of the revised program, New Standard now has seismic and drilling to commence in Year Two before the new deadline of March 2016, with only minor expenditure on geological studies in Year One required before then. New Standard requested a suspension of the work program for PEL570 acreage and a deferral of the planned seismic due to the uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the Company’s PEL570 joint venture partner, Ambassador Oil and Gas Limited (ASX: AQO, Ambassador), which is the subject of two competing takeover offers.
New Standard Defers Western Australian Exploration Program
New Standard Energy Limited (New Standard) advises that the Southern Canning Joint Venture (SCJV) has agreed to delay drilling of the Brooke North-1 well until late 2015. In line with this the Company plans to defer all of its Canning and Carnarvon Basin drilling activity until 2015. Unfortunately delays in receiving various stakeholder approvals required for the drilling of the Brooke North-1 well have made it impossible to drill the well prior to this year’s wet season. As a result New Standard, with the support of its SCJV partners (ConocoPhillips and PetroChina), has been in discussions with the State Government and the Department of Mines & Petroleum (DMP) to ensure that the delay does not jeopardise the tenure of the SCJV permits.
Santos to Boost Exploration of LNG and Oil Potential
Santos Ltd said it plans to boost its expenditure on exploration to $169.3 million in 2006, from $140.6 million last year, focusing on liquefied natural gas and oil potential in a 25-well high-impact exploration program, Forbes reported. The program reflects the widening geographical nature of its exploration portfolio.17 of the 25 wildcat wells will be drilled outside of Australia, including eight wells in the company's core Indonesian area and two in its emerging Timor-Bonaparte region between Australia and East Timor. Seven wells will be drilled in new areas of interest including three in Egypt and four in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
