The company following the completion of drilling, wireline logs will be run and the well completed for stimulation and production testing of the coal intervals.

The Aberdeen Pilot is the first of up to five pilot developments that QGC proposes to construct to confirm the potential of its coalbed methane interests in the Surat Basin.

Each pilot will consist of a five-well development with associated gas gathering and water handling systems. The wells will then be completed in each of the major coal seams of the Juandah interval, QGC said.

The company added they will be operated together with the aim of efficiently dewatering a large volume of coal and measuring water and gas delivery rates under stabilised conditions. The pilot developments will be designed to demonstrate stabilised flow rates within about six months, QGC said.