88 Energy Ltd., Perth, has spudded its  Merlin-2 appraisal as part of Project Peregrine in the NPR-A region of the  North Slope of Alaska.
The well is planned for a total depth of  around 8,000 ft and is targeting around 650 million bbl of unrisked prospective  resource (oil) in the N18, N19, and N20 zones of the prospective Nanushuk formation  that were successful discoveries in Merlin-1 drilled in March-April 2021 to a  total depth of 5,267 ft.
Logging while drilling and mudlogging will  be used to determine initial indications of the prospectivity of each target  zone.
A production test program has been designed  for Merlin-2 with equipment held on standby. Testing will be contingent on the  wireline results as well as government approvals and weather considerations.
Project Peregrine encompasses 195,000  contiguous acres and is on trend with recent discoveries in a newly successful play  type in topset sands in the Nanushuk.
88 Energy has 100% interest in the area.