Central Petroleum Ltd., Perth, has reported a maximum sustained flow rate of 300 b/d of 40° gravity light, sweet crude oil on a 24/64-in. choke in the western Amadeus basin of Australia.
The flow, with a low water cut, came from a 230-m lateral in tight Ordovician Lower Stairway sandstone at 2,543 m true vertical depth at the Surprise-1 reentry. The well is on Northern Territory Block EPA-115 about 190 km west of Mereenie oil and gas field. Central reported no evidence of hydrogen sulfide.
The company is still recovering drilling fluid from the horizontal section and plans further well clean-up and extended production tests.
Central will suspend the well as soon as it cleans up and, subject to government approvals, will fast-track additional storage to allow for an EPT to begin.
Central is also assessing the unconventional shale oil and gas potential of drilling samples taken from the Horn Valley siltstone, where the presence of hydrocarbons and elevated organic material in sections of this formation was previously noted (OGJ, Oct. 4, 2010, p. 48).
Central said it is determining its next exploratory moves, pursuing a TSX Ventures Exchange listing, and discussing farmouts with major companies.