Santos well intersects reservoirs, but no commercial discovery

Santos Ltd. and Carnarvon Energy Ltd. will gather information from the Apus-1 wildcat to evaluate further exploration in the Bedout sub-basin offshore Western Australia as commercial hydrocarbons were not discovered (OGJ Online, Apr. 8, 2022).

Interpretation from the logging while drilling and mud logging equipment confirm the intersection of quality reservoirs in Caley and Milne sands as expected, but without a commercial hydrocarbon pool, Carnarvon said in an Apr. 19 release.

The well lies 27 km southwest of the joint venture’s March Pavo-1 oil discovery and had been mapped straddling the permit boundary between WA-437-P, which contains Dorado field, and WA-438-P, which contains Pavo. The well lies in WA-437-P.

Hydrocarbon charge and seal were recognized as risks for the Apus-1 well pre-drill. Early interpretation of drilling results indicates there is evidence of hydrocarbons migrating to the Apus location; however, they may not have migrated in sufficient quantity for a commercial hydrocarbon pool to form, or sufficient hydrocarbons were not able to be retained within the closure that was drilled, Carnarvon said.

“Collectively, the Pavo-1 and Apus-1 results open up the potential of the Bedout sub-basin by proving the existence of hydrocarbons and high-quality reservoirs a considerable distance east and southeast from Dorado and Roc fields,” said Carnarvon Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Adrian Cook.

Santos holds 80% interest in WA-437-P. Carnarvon holds 20%. In WA-438-P, Santos holds 70% interest and Carnarvon holds 30%. Santos is operator for both permits.