Beach Energy, Icon Energy to Start Cooper Basin Unconventional Program

Beach Energy and Icon Energy will begin an unconventional gas exploration program in Cooper Basin. The exercise is expected to commence this month.

The vertical exploration well, which is now expected to commence drilling at the Halifax location in July 2012, was previously planned as a horizontal well to be drilled in late September 2012.  The Ensign 916 rig, which is currently contracted to Beach and working in PEL 218, will be moved to the Halifax location after the completion of the Streaky-1 well, which  has reached total depth  at 3,821 metres depth and is preparing to run casing.

Having achieved success at the adjoining PEL 218, Beach is confident of excellent results in ATP 855P also.

“The collaborative approach taken by Beach and Icon will help to confirm what we strongly believe, that the unconventional shale and basin centred gas play, taking shape in the Permian section of PEL 218, continues on the Queensland side in ATP 855P.  To date we have not publicised any gas in place estimates for ATP 855P, however, should the Halifax-1 vertical well prove successful, there is little reason why the 300 Tcf plus of gas in place estimated for PEL 218, cannot be replicated in ATP 855P,” Beach Managing Director, Reg Nelson, said.