Having reached a total depth of 1306m, the well will be converted into an observation well to allow reservoir pressure monitoring during production operations.

The Folschviller St1 well encountered a total of 62.41m of coal in its six-target coal seams. Four major coal packets returned thickness ranging from 10.48-14.92m, according to European Gas.

The company said it was “particularly encouraged” by the positive data.

“All of the four major coal packets intersected in the well are thicker than originally anticipated or are developed in line with expectations,” it said.

“The multiple coal packets intercepted by Folschviller St1 are each significant targets for development.”

Laboratory tests on all the coal packets are currently underway. Results so far show the weighted average desorbable gas content for the six coal packets is 9.42 cubic metres per tonne (332.5 cubic feet per tonne). Based on this, European Gas said the energy density for the Folschviller area is 823 million cubic metres per square kilometre (29.1 billion cubic feet per square kilometre).

Detailed analysis of the cleating and fracture pattern is also underway to determine where the lateral wells should be located for next year’s development phase.

Now that the Folschviller ST-1 is complete, the rig is moving to drill the second well at Diebling in the Alsting block.

The two-well program, which is expected to take between 10 and 12 weeks to complete, is designed to help develop the large gas-in-place resource, which to date totals 28.1 billion cubic metres within about 7% of the company’s permit and application areas.

Subject to rig availability and casing delivery schedules, development drilling is planned to start late this year or early next year at both sites.