Brisbane-based Sunshine said Pilot 5 (Lacerta 30) had been brought online with an initial gas flow rate of 60,000 cubic feet per day and an associated water flow of 725 barrels per day.

Sunshine managing director Tony Gilby said Lacerta 30 was the first of four one-well, step-out pilots designed to further assess the productivity of the coal seams within the permit.

“This is a significant result as it demonstrates gas flows to surface further away to the east from initial pilot operations. This bodes well for future Lacerta appraisal wells and the reserve certification process currently under way,” Gilby said.

Sunshine said the Lacerta 37 core-hole had been drilled to total depth, logged and suspended pending completion as a pressure monitor well.

The Mitchell Rig 123 had now moved to Lacerta 21 and was expected to spud that well soon.

Sunshine said it was waiting on feedback from the reserve certifier, MHA Petroleum Consultants, and would continue to issue weekly drilling updates on Lacerta – its key CSM project – to the markets.