Australian oil and gas exploration firm Real Energy has encountered gas during an appraisal well drilling programme in the Cooper Basin.
The Tamarama-2 well was drilled on 26 April to a measured depth below rotary table (MDRT) of 2,422m.
The well has been designed to optimise subsequent fracture stimulations of the Permian Toolachee-Patchawarra gas reservoirs, and is currently drilling within the Patchawarra formation target section.
Based on preliminary information, the company encountered the Toolachee formation at around 2,343.75m MDRT and the Patchawarra formation at around 2,390m MDRT.
The company has reported that elevated gas readings have been recorded across the Toolachee Formation.
Real Energy managing director Scott Brown said: “While we are still drilling and later will be running electric logs and evaluating the significance of the gas shows seen in the well, Tamarama-2 appears to be a very encouraging result and is consistent with the pre-drilled prediction.”
Among the sandstone intervals, 2,379m to 2,388m MDRT encountered a gas peak of 123.1 units over the background gas of 32.9 units, while 2,349m to 2,367m MDRT returned a gas peak of 113.4 units over the background gas of 13.2 units.
Once the total depth is reached, Real Energy will undertake electric logs to further assess the significance of the gas shows.
