MELBOUNE, Australia – Drilling has started on the bp-operated Ironbark-1 exploration well in the Carnarvon basin offshore Western Australia.
The well, in the WA-359-P permit in 300 m (984 ft) water depth, was at 407 m (1,335 ft) MDRT this morning and should take 70-90 days to drill, according to partner Cue Energy.
Ironbark-1 will test a potentially giant gas prospect with a prospective resource of 15 tcf recoverable. While the main Deep Mungaroo target is at a depth of around 5,335 m (17,503 ft) TVDss, other reservoir objectives within the same formation will also be tested, accompanied by an extensive logging while drilling program.
Cue CEO Matthew Boyall said: “Success in Ironbark-1 would open up the potential of further Deep Mungaroo prospectivity along this play fairway.”
The permit is 50 km (31 mi) from established North West Shelf LNG infrastructure.