In the Tintaburra arm of the project, where two state-of-the-art small rigs are working, junior partner Drillsearch Energy has announced the casing of two new oil production wells Mulberry-26 and Mulberry-35. Drilling operations continue with Mulberry 27 and Mulberry 41.

Participating interests in the Tintaburra Block are: Santos (operator) 89%, Drillsearch Energy 10% and CPC Energy 1%.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in southwest Queensland, in the Cooper Oil Project’s Nockatunga Block arm, junior partner Magellan Petroleum says the Muthero-4 appraisal well is being cased and suspended as a future oil producer.

“The rig will now move to the Muthero-5 appraisal well location approximately 250m southwest of Muthero-4,” Magellan said.

Interests in the Nockatunga program are operator Santos 61% and Magellan 39%.

Beach borrows rig

The rig has now moved to the Beach Petroleum-operated Telowie-1 exploration well in PEL 94, in South Australia's Cooper Basin, according to Magellan.

Located on the southern flank of the Cooper Basin, the well will test a simple anticlinal structure on the northeastern end of the Milpera Horst.

The well is about 4.8km northeast of Maslins-1, which recovered oil from the Murta Member.

Telowie-1 is programmed to a total depth of 1367m below the rotary table.

The primary objective is the Namur Sandstone and the McKinlay Member with secondary potential in the Murta Member.

Beach assesses the mean potential resource in the Namur Sandstone at 2.1 million barrels of oil.

Telowie-1 is expected to spud later this week. Participants in the drilling of the well are Beach, which holds a 50% stake, Magellan Petroleum (35%) and Victoria Petroleum (15%).