A joint venture of Beach Energy and Drillsearch Energy made a reservoir discovery in existing Bauer oil field in permit PEL 91 in South Australia’s Cooper Eromanga basin.
The Bauer-5 appraisal and development well flowed 1,160 b/d of oil from a 5-m thick section of the Birkhead formation, previously regarded as a secondary target.
The oil column was intersected in a stratigraphic trap and could have significant impact on the proved and probable reserves within the field.
The same well also confirmed the northeast extension of the field by intersecting a 6-m oil pay in the main Namur Sandstone reservoir.
The Birkhead find has led to a change of plans in the development drilling program with Bauer-6 and Bauer-7 now to be deepened to evaluate the extent of the new play.
The permit has already been confirmed as a highly prospective section of the Western Flank (of the Cooper basin) oil fairway and the discovery has established that the area contains multiple oil plays and pay zones.
Beach is operator with 40% and Drillsearch has the remaining 60% interest.
