Bohena-4L, the second well in the 2004 coal bed methane (CBM) appraisal and development drilling program, was drilled horizontally through the target Bohena coal seam in the basal part of the Early Permian Maules Creek Formation.

The production plan with Bohena-4L is to initially produce the well at low rates so that the water level in the well bore will be lowered slowly to facilitate cleaning out the coal fines mobilised by the drilling and completion process. Initial results are encouraging with the gas engine that drives the down-hole pump already being run on gas produced from the well.

Test production will continue with the aim of gradually de-watering the coal, lowering the reservoir pressure and increasing gas production rates.

The Joint Venture, has also spudded the third well in the program, Bohena-9, an appraisal/development well within the northern part of the Bohena project area.

Located 1.3km south of existing well Bohena-4 and 400m south west of Bohena-3, Bohena-9 will be fracture stimulated (along with the to-be-drilled Bohena South-1 appraisal/development well and the existing Bibblewindi-1 well) and placed into test production.

Both wells form an integral part of the Gunnedah Gas Project reserves certification process within the 260sq.km Bohena Project Area, which contains up to 3,700 PJ (3.7 trillion cubic feet) gas in place within both the Late Permian Black Jack Formation and the Early Permian Maules Creek Formation coal seams.

The aim of this drilling program is to establish sufficient proved and probable (1P and 2P) gas reserves to support long term gas sales contracts by completing a production pilot.

The Project is managed by Eastern Star Gas and is owned by the Gunnedah Coal Seam Gas Project Joint Venture comprising Eastern Star Gas Limited 15% (but acquiring up to 32.5%), Hillgrove Resources 15% (but acquiring up to 32.5%) and Gastar Exploration 70% (but reducing to 35%).