Australian oil and gas company Beach Energy has embarked on the next phase of its drilling program in Australian waters, operated by a rig owned by Transocean, the offshore drilling giant.
Months after closing The first phase of the drilling campaign outside Otway Basin with Transoceanic equinox Beach Energy confirmed that the Cooper Basin and Equinox rig campaigns are progressing, with three oil wells drilled on the western flank before the weather delay.
Phase 2 drilling activities have resumed in the Otway Basin since the end of the quarter, with Beach taking delivery of the Equinox rig from a consortium member and commencing the drilling campaign in early April. Good intervention in Western thylacine It is currently underway and is expected to take approximately three weeks to complete. The program will conclude with a drop off and drop off Trilobite 1 and By way 1 Wells.
Meanwhile, a 12-well oil exploration, appraisal and development campaign continued in the western Copper Basin, with one oil exploration well and two oil appraisal wells drilled during the quarter. However, drilling activities were delayed from mid-February due to heavy rainfall that affected road access, hampering drilling activities during the remainder of the quarter.
The evaluation and development campaign resumed in mid-April after access to the road was restored. The Stunsail West 1 exploration well was drilled to a total depth of 2,019 metres, and oil was found in the primary Namur reservoirs and the secondary McKinlay and Birkhead reservoirs.
The oil-water contact in the Namur reservoir was consistent with the Stonesil field about 1 km to the west, indicating a continuous accumulation of oil between the fields. The company claims that follow-on activity is being evaluated to influence a larger development campaign for Stunsail.
The Kangaroo 5 oil appraisal well targeted the Birkhead Reservoir approximately 700 meters north of Kangaroo 1. The well intersected 1.5 meters of net oil income and demonstrated contact with the balanced oil producer, Kangaroo 1. The Kangaroo 5 fracture is scheduled to be stimulated and completed as a water injection well to maximize field recovery.
Kangaroo 6 targeted Birkhead Reservoir and encountered 7 meters of net oil payout. The well has been capped and suspended, and is scheduled to be completed and tied in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026. The remainder of the campaign includes six oil development wells in the Power, Caladena, Spitfire, and Stonesel fields, and a potential Caladena oil well.
Due to the weather delay during the quarter, four of the remaining six wells are expected to be drilled in FY26, with the remaining two wells to be drilled in FY27, followed by an oil exploration campaign.
Brett WoodsManaging Director and CEO of Beach Energy commented: “We continued the western flank oil appraisal and development campaign by shutting in and suspending three further successful wells, before approximately 400mm of rainfall impeded access to the road from mid-February. Fortunately, access has now been restored, and the campaign is underway again.”
Beach and its joint venture partner, Santos, have acquired three exploration blocks, including ATP 2078, 2079 and 2080 in southwest Queensland, spanning approximately 7,000 square kilometers of prospective acreage. The joint venture intends to acquire several new seismic surveys across the three blocks.
The acquisition will likely commence in FY27 with a potential exploratory drilling campaign scheduled to commence in FY28, leveraging existing knowledge of potential plays and incorporating new seismic data as it becomes available.
Boost your brand with marine energy ⤵️
Steal the spotlight and establish your brand in the heart of the outside world!
Join us to make a greater impact and grow your presence at the core of the marine energy community!
