It said repairs to the damaged pumps at Whicher Range-5 are ongoing and the contractor has advised these should be completed this weekend. Fraccing operations are expected to resume mid next week.

Under the Amity plan, diesel fuel will be pumped into the formations at very high pressures until the fractures are initiated and pumping will continue until the fractures propagate to about 100 metres from the well bore.

The drilling fluid used for fracturing is diesel fuel based, due to the previously recognised damage that water has caused.