The recent seven well drilling program which began in June 2002 was successful in appraising the Hovea Oilfield and in discovering the Eremia Oilfield. The Century 24 rig then undertook a drilling program elsewhere in the Perth Basin while the L1/L2 joint venture dissected the results of the last program.
The Hovea-8 well will be drilled from the Hovea production facility to a horizontal section bottom hole location between the Hovea-3 and Hovea-4 wells. The well will also incorporate the design and drilling parameters from the recent successful deviated well program together with a number of technically advanced drilling techniques.
A Hovea-9 well is also planned as part of the program with the final location yet to be agreed by the joint venture, but it is likely to have the twin objectives of appraising the southern part of the Hovea Oilfield and of providing an additional water injection point to optimise recovery from both the Hovea and Eremia fields.
"Our estimate is that there may be up to 10 wells drilled in the area in the next 12 months, a large number of which will be on ARC acreage. This is an enormous turnaround from previous years where one or two wells a year have been drilled and it demonstrates the revitalisation of the industry in the Basin," said ARC managing director Erci Streitberg.
Participants in L1 and L2 (excluding the Dongara, Mondarra and Yardarino fields) are ARC Energy 50% and Origin Energy Developments 50%.
