Results of an independent review of the Vali gas discovery in southwest Queensland Cooper basin permit ATP2021 support commercialization of the field with planned connection to the Moomba gathering system in South Australia, Vintage Energy Ltd., Adelaide, said Dec. 14 (OGJ Online, Sept. 17, 2020).
Carried out by the ERC Equipoise, the reserves booking—the first for Vintage—estimated gross 1P reserves for the Permian age Patchawarra formation reservoir of 12.3 bcf, 2P reserves of 30.3 bcf, and 3P reserves of 78.9 bcf.
The Vali-1 ST1 discovery well encountered stacked gas pay in the Nappamerri, Toolachee, and Patchawarra formations, but the reserve estimates are for the Patchawarra reservoir only, Vintage said.
Vintage said it hopes gas produced from the field will be much greater than the figure estimated by ERCE, with the upside potential to come from the two shallower reservoirs.
The Vali-1 ST1 well penetrated a four-way dip closure with the Patchawarra formation comprising 22 stacked sandstone reservoirs embedded with shales and coals. Twenty of the reservoirs are interpreted to contain gas.
The well was fracture stimulated and tested in July-August and flowed over 4 days at increasing chokes and gas flow rates. A 2-day extended flow test resulted in a strong, stable gas flow rate of 4.3 MMcfd through a 36-64-in. choke at 942 psi wellhead pressure (OGJ Online, Aug. 21, 2020).
Development plans include up to nine vertical fracture-stimulated wells including the discovery well. They will be drilled at the rate of 1-2 wells/year and progressively tied into Santos-operated Beckler field via a 13 km dual 4-in. composite pipeline.
The development is now in front-end engineering design stage. First production is planned for first-half 2021.
Vintage is operator with 50%. Metgasco has 25% and Bridgeport 25%.