Drilling of the Ironbark-1 exploration well in the Carnarvon Basin offshore Western Australia is underway, with activities passing a measured depth of 400m.
Cue Energy (21.5 per cent) and New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZOG) (15 per cent), reporting on behalf of partners BP (42.5 per cent) and Beach Energy (21 per cent), stated that the well was spudded on Saturday, The partners confirmed that depth of 407m had been reached at the site.
According to the partners, the cementing of the 36-inch conductor has been completed. Once the cement is dry, operator BP will begin drilling the 26-inch hole.
According to the JV, the Ironbark well will test the Triassic Mungaroo Formation with multiple sand objectives.
The reservoir has been explored nearby at comparably shallower depths and includes discoveries at the Gorgon, Goodwyn and North Rankin gas condensate fields.
NZOG highlighted that the primary target is at a planned depth of 5668 TVD subsea metres in water depths of 298m.
Cue added that an extensive logging while drilling (LWD) program has been prepared for the evaluation of the well during drilling, with the well designed as an exploration well that will be plugged and abandoned following the completion of operations.
Cue chief executive officer Matthew Boyall said: “Drilling of the Ironbark-1 well is the culmination of significant work undertaken by Cue to explore and understand the Deep Mungaroo gas play in the Carnarvon Basin and attract partners BP, Beach Energy and New Zealand Oil & Gas to form the current joint venture.
“Success in Ironbark-1 would open up the potential of further Deep Mungaroo prospectivity along this play fairway.”
NZOG CEO Andrew Jefferies added: “It has been a long journey to get to this point, we are excited to be breaking ground on this frontier well.”
Drilling at the well in WA-359-P is expected to take 85 days to complete.