The Harcourt 4/5 single lateral well program involves drilling up to three investigation holes, followed by a medium radius single lateral well pair comprising Harcourt-4 (a vertical drainage well) and Harcourt-5 (a surface to inseam well.)

The Melbourne-based company said the HR-SH1 was the first of up to three holes that would be drilled to a planned depth of 650m. The program is designed to define the coal seam thickness, seam depths and structural framework of the area before the JV finalises designs on Harcourt 4/5.

The area targeted for Harcourt 4/5 is south of the existing Harcourt vertical wells, and immediately northeast of the Mungi Gas Field and Bindaree Prospect. As a result, Molopo said Harcourt was considered to be a likely extension of the Mungi Field, where Molopo and its partners have 14 CSM production wells currently online.

The company said the southern Harcourt area offered thick, undisturbed coals in a favourable structural setting relatively close to existing gathering infrastructure.

Molopo said the JV have also applied for a petroleum lease in the Harcourt and Bindaree prospect areas, which are estimated to contain a potential 23 petajoules of 2P gas reserves and cover an area of 178 square kilometre. In comparison, the Mungi field covers 34sq.km and has 58PJ of 2P reserves.

Participants in the Harcourt wells are Anglo Coal (Moura) and Mitsui Moura Investment with 50%, Molopo (25%) and Helm Energy-Australia (25%).