Australia: Remote Officer basin wildcat plugged

Rodinia Oil Corp., Calgary, has plugged and abandoned the Mulyawara-1 rank wildcat in the Officer basin in South Australia and said shows in the Neoproterozoic Murnaroo, Mundallio, and Emeroo sandstones demonstrate an active mature petroleum system capable of generating hydrocarbon.
Oct. 14, 2011
2 min read

Rodinia Oil Corp., Calgary, has plugged and abandoned the Mulyawara-1 rank wildcat in the Officer basin in South Australia and said shows in the Neoproterozoic Murnaroo, Mundallio, and Emeroo sandstones demonstrate an active mature petroleum system capable of generating hydrocarbon.

The well went to 2,691.3 m measured depth, interpreted to be in the top of the Mesoproterozoic section. The nearest existing wells with the prospective deep Pindyin sands are 500 km west and 300 km east.

A definitive petrophysical interpretation of the deeper zones was not possible due to the extremely poor quality of the wireline logs caused by the severe degree of washout in the wellbore, Rodinia said.

During drilling, gas shows with up to C5 (pentane) content were recorded over sands in the Mundallio and Emeroo sections and totaled 150 m gross. Log evaluation indicates that the developed sandstone reservoirs had less than 10% porosity. The subsalt section had poorer than expected Pindyin sandstone development and contained no shows.

Rodinia reported 75% cost overruns due to mechanical and operational issues.

Rodinia said it will continue mapping the Murnaroo, Mundallio, Emeroo, and Pindyin sandstones to better determine the extent and reservoir potential of these formations at its next well, Kutjara-1, to be drilled using modified drilling techniques in an effort to improve drilling efficiencies and reduce costs.

About the Author

Alan Petzet

Chief Editor Exploration

Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.

Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.

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