“The sandstone reservoir is two metres thick and although present in other Coonarah wells it had not been previously tested,” said an ESG drilling report.

“The drilling of Coonarah-8 with air instead of a water-based drilling fluid has likely avoided damaging the sandstone interval and provided better gas flow rates. Technical data from this same sandstone, present in the other production wells in the Coonarah Gas Field, will now be reviewed for its production potential as an additional gas reservoir.”

The second well in the program, Coonarah-7, will be drilled when the rig is released from this well.

ESG has 100% of the Coonarah drilling program.

Both wells are close to the company-owned pipeline that delivers gas to the Wilga Park Power Station which has been expanded from 10 MW to 12 MW to accept additional gas from the gas field.