Beach starts gas flow from Encounter well in Australia's Cooper basin

Flow of 2 MMcfd of natural gas has started from the Encounter-1 wildcat in south Australia’s Cooper basin after fracture stimulation, said well operator Beach Energy Ltd., Adelaide. Beach carried out the fracture program in six stages. Beach says the result was a higher flow than last year’s shale well Holdfast-1, which was drilled by Beach in the same area. Holdfast flowed as much as 2 MMcfd of gas from seven zones.

Beach intends to continue flow testing Endeavour-1 for a month to better understand zone contributions by the various Permian-age Roseneath shale, Epsilon formation, and Murteree shale sections in the well.

Beach added that Encounter-1 confirmed the lateral continuity of the basin-centred gas play in the Nappamerri Trough with the Patchawarra zone flow testing at 750,000 cfd from the top 5 m.

The company will use the results of Encounter-1 and Holdfast-1 to aid planning for a horizontal well program later this year.