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This decision was made after wireline logs and sidewall-cores failed to determine the presence of a commercial oil accumulation in either the Murta Formation or Birkhead Formation, where fluorescence had been observed during drilling with the Hunt Rig 2.
But Great Artesian said the hydrocarbon shows boded well for future exploration in the permit.
“Despite the fact that Ballaparudda-1 has not resulted in a commercial oil discovery,
Ballaparudda-1 did encounter oil shows within the objective formations and has confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons migrating into this part of PEL91, increasing the likelihood of finding a commercial oil accumulation with future wells,” it said.
“As previously noted, experience in the adjacent permits has shown that each prospect has its own independent risk and that not every structure in the ‘fairway’ is filled with oil.”
Ballaparudda-1 was the first of two wells planned by the PEL91 joint venture to test prospects in the ‘oil fairway’ between the Christies, Sellicks, Callawonga and Parsons oil discoveries in PEL92 to the southwest and the Growler and Wirraway oil discoveries in PEL104 to the northeast.
Ballaparudda-1 was an oil exploration well that tested the Jurassic potential of an anticlinal structure on the western flank of the Patchawarra Trough in PEL 91.
It was located about 25 km north of Callawonga and 18 km southwest of the Growler discovery.
The second well in this oil fairway, Murrippi-1, is expected to spud in February with Century Rig-3.
The Murrippi-1 well will test an anticlinal structure ‘on-trend’ with the Sellicks oilfield with multiple primary targets in the Jurassic - Namur Sandstone, Birkhead Formation and Hutton sandstone as well as the Poolowanna Formation and Permian Patchawarra Formation.
Beach is operator and holds a 40% stake in the two wells, while Great Artesian has 60%.