Central Petroleum has spudded the first development well in the Mereenie development program in the Northern Territory.
The well was drilled on June 3, 2021, with the rig being moved off the re-completions of the four existing wells (WM14, WM15, WM19 and WM20).
The four wells are scheduled to be progressively brought back on-line over the coming days.
WM27 is being drilled at a crestal location targeting increased gas production.
The company advised that the well, along with another development well (WM28) and four re-completions, is intendeds to return to field production capacity back towards 45 TJ/d and produce at least an additional 40 PJ of gas over the lifetime of the field.
As a result, this will enable the Mereenie joint venture to commit to new gas sales into what is anticipated to be an increasingly tight east coast gas market.
In March this year Central Petroleum appointed Easternwell Group to re-complete the four existing wells and drill the two development wells at the Mereenie oil and gas field.
Following the wells being drilled, they will then be tied-in to the existing gather network, with gas production expected to be available from the first development well before July 2021.
Central managing director Leon Devaney said following the market and operational challenges of 2020, he was pleased to make progress on drilling this year.
“The Mereenie development wells, in combination with the three range pilot wells, means that Central is on track to deliver five new wells and re-complete four existing wells by mid-year,” Devaney said.