A group led by Quadrant Energy Ltd., Perth, has reported that the GSF Development Driller-1 semisubmersible drilling rig has begun the final leg of its journey from Port Louis in Mauritius to the northwest of Australia to drill the much-anticipated Phoenix South-3 appraisal well in the Bedout sub-basin permit WA-435-P.
The rig is expected to arrive on location late this month to be ready to commence drilling in early April.
Joint venture partner Carnarvon Petroleum Ltd. said the objective of Phoenix South-3 is to assess the gas and condensate discovered at the top of the Caley interval in the previous Phoenix South-2 well at yearend 2016 (OGJ Online, Dec. 20, 2016).
That well encountered a 39-m thick hydrocarbon-bearing zone 5,176-5,215 m with significant gas influx and elevated reservoir pore pressure at or near the Caley Formation primary target.
However, the group was unable to assess up to 185 m thickness of additional potential hydrocarbon-bearing Caley reservoir below 5,215 m depth because of the higher-than-anticipated pressures.
The new well is to be drilled about 560 m from PS-2 and will look specifically at the gas-bearing Caley interval rather than evaluate a broader range of reservoir intervals.
Quadrant and Carnarvon Petroleum estimate the Caley interval to contain a gross mean recoverable prospective resource of 489 bcf of gas and 57 million bbl of condensate.
This is in addition to the nearby Roc discovery that has an estimated 2C resource of 332 bcf and 19 million bbl of condensate, also in the Caley interval.
Quadrant has 80% of the permit with Carnarvon holding the remaining interest.
