Beach: Otway basin gas discovery derisks nearshore prospects

A new nearshore gas discovery in Otway basin Permit Vic/P42(V) off western Victoria, builds on a previous nearby discovery at Black Watch-1 and derisks surrounding nearshore prospects in the permit, Beach Energy Ltd., Adelaide, said Nov. 10 (OGJ Online, Apr. 20, 2020).

Enterprise-1 well was spudded from an onshore location about 3.5 km from Port Campbell and 8 km from the Otway gas plant and drilled directionally to a target 3.2 km offshore.

The well drilled to a total measured depth of 4,974 m and encountered the Cretaceous-age Upper Waarre formation target 89 m high to prognosis at a depth of 4,594 m, which is 2,052 m vertical depth subsea. It intersected a 146-m gas column, including 115 m of net gas pay without identifying a gas-water contact.

Gas samples were taken and indicated a carbon dioxide content of 10% by volume.

Beach plans to case and suspend the well as a future producer. A forthcoming test program will confirm the well productivity as well as provide an estimate of reserves and furnish data for a proposed spur line to the Otway gas plant. Detailed engineering work and the regulatory approvals process for the pipeline is under way.

The gas plant is currently producing 205 terajoules/day, which is half its nameplate capacity.

Beach is operator with 60% interest. OG Energy (part of Ofer Global Group) holds the remaining 40%.

Beach will now move its focus to the forthcoming offshore Otway basin drilling campaign beginning with Artisan-1 during the March 2021 quarter. This will be followed by development wells in Geographe and Thylacine gas fields.