Noble jackup preparing to drill back-to-back wells offshore Australia
Offshore staff
WEST PERTH, Australia – The jackup Noble Tom Prosser should start drilling the Pavo prospect next week in the Bedout basin offshore Western Australia.
According to partner Carnarvon Energy, the Pavo-1 well, operated by Santos, will target potential recoverable volumes of 82 MMbbl of liquids and 108 bcf of gas.
The main prospective reservoir is the Caley Formation sands which during an equipment-constrained test flowed around 11,000 b/d in the nearby Dorado-3 well (the same two companies are partners in the Dorado field development).
After drilling the primary Caley target, the partners have an option to deepen the well to the Lower Archer formation Dumont Member sands and the Permian carbonates. Data from these intervals could clarify the exploration potential north and east of Pavo.
Following completion of the Pavo-1 well, the rig will relocate 20 km (12.4 mi) to the southwest to drill the Apus-1 well for the partners, another potential tie-in candidate to the Dorado facilities.
Carnarvon expects a final investment decision on the Dorado project later this year, allowing construction of the production facilities to proceed.
The company currently estimates that the Bedout basin contains around 100 prospects, although following processing of new 3D seismic acquired in 2021 and 2022, that number could grow.
02/04/2022
