Santos group has large Browse gas-condensate find

Nov. 19, 2012
A group led by Santos Ltd. has drilled a large gas-condensate discovery in the Browse basin 60 km west of giant Ichthys field offshore Western Australia.

A group led by Santos Ltd. has drilled a large gas-condensate discovery in the Browse basin 60 km west of giant Ichthys field offshore Western Australia.

The Crown-1 exploratory well, in 440 m of water on WA-274-P, logged 61 m of net gas pay in the Jurassic Montara, Plover, and Malita reservoirs at 4,873-4,998 m without intersecting a gas-water contact and recovered multiple condensate-bearing gas samples.

Pressure data taken at multiple levels indicate that gas could be expected to flow at a high rate, Santos said.

Drilling is to continue to a proposed 5,200 m at the site, 500 km north of Broome and 20 km east of Poseidon filed.

Santos is operator with a 30% stake in WA-274-P. Chevron Corp. has 50% and Inpex has 20%.

Santos revealed that it has signed agreements to take a 30% interest in the WA-408-P permit that adjoins WA-274-P to the east, subject to customary conditions. Total SA operates WA-408-P with 50% interest, and Murphy Oil Corp. has 20%.

The WA-408-P joint venture has committed to drill the Dufresne-1 and Bassett West-1 exploratory wells as soon as Crown-1 has been completed.