The West Mereenie-30 development well has been successfully drilled and cased across the shallower Stairway and Pacoota-1 formations.
Horizon Australia Energy and a number of other companies involved in the Mereenie Joint Venture are celebrating the milestone.
Horizon Australia Energy chief executive Richard Beament said this was a great outcome for all involved in the joint venture.
“With the second well scheduled to be tied in over the coming weeks, incremental gas volumes from these wells can be sold under the recently executed NT Government GSA. We would like to congratulate and thank the operator, Central Petroleum, and their drilling contractor, Ventia, for an outstanding job,” he said.
“The drilling program was completed safely, on time and within budget through the hottest months of the year. The drilling of a two well infill drilling campaign so soon after completing the Mereenie acquisition is a tremendous outcome and assists in further unlocking the value potential we see in Mereenie.”
The casing shoe was set at 1245m TVDRT, and air-drilling continued to 1331m TVDRT through the primary Pacoota-3 reservoir target.
The well was successfully completed, and the WM30 tie-in is expected to be completed by the end of February.
Together with the W29 development well, WM30 is expected to boost gas rates, enabling the Mereenie Joint Venture to supply additional gas volumes into the recently executed Northern Territory Government Gas Sales Agreement.
The participants in the Mereenie Joint Venture are Echelon Mereenie (42.5 per cent), Horizon Australia Energy (25 per cent), Central Petroleum Mereenie (25 per cent), and Cue Energy (7.5 per cent).
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