The geological field guide to the Kalgoorlie region, produced by Earth Science Western Australia (ESWA), John Bunting and Peter Muhling, was officially launched on Tuesday the 19th of March at the Australian Resources Research Centre, Kensington. This guide is the third produced by this group, with others to Perth and surrounds and the capes region of the Southwest. This launch event was well attended with guests including; field guide contributors, members of ESWA’s Board, sponsors of ESWA, representatives of various educational authorities, teachers and interested parties.
Company Updates
Sercel Extends Boundaries of Well Exploration with SigmaWave, its First DAS Seismic Solution
Sercel has announced the launch of its first distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) seismic solution: SigmaWave. Designed in partnership with Fotech Solutions, SigmaWave is the first integrated distributed acoustic solution designed exclusively for borehole seismic applications and reinforces Sercel’s advanced range of downhole seismic acquisition systems. SigmaWave is fully integrated with Sercel’s existing downhole seismic tools and enables continuous, real-time seismic measurements along the entire length of a fiber optic cable. Whether by retrievable or permanent deployment, it is now possible to visualize and monitor the well in real time and instantly generate SEG-Y files.
‘Production revival and development potential makes Eagle Ford shale a winner’
During 2018, Eagle Ford re-emerged as one of the lucrative destinations for oil and gas companies, according to data and analytics company, GlobalData. The company’s latest market analysis report reveals that the shale play has reverted a production decline and leading operators continue to increase the scale of their operations. There are still some sections within the Eagle Ford shale play which are underdeveloped, especially in the northern part comprising the Burleson and Brazos counties and some companies are also assessing the overlying Austin Chalk formation.
Santos awards drilling support contract to MMA Offshore
Marine service provider MMA Offshore has been awarded a contract by Santos to support its 2019 drilling campaign. The contract is for the provision of three vessels to support the drilling campaign, including two anchor handling tug supply vessels and a platform supply vessel. The scope of services includes rig tows to and from field, infield rig moves and platform supply duties in support of the Noble Tom Prosser rig, operating offshore Australia. The contract started in February and is expected to run for at least six months.
Orchid-1 delivers gas and condensate bounty for PTTEP
Thai oil and gas company PTTEP has celebrated a gas and condensate discovery at Orchid-1, the first exploration well in Permit AC/P54 located in the Timor Sea, offshore Australia. This was revealed by Phongsthorn Thavisin, President and CEO of PTTEP, who said in a statement that PTTEP Australasia had made the discovery after the well had been spudded in January and drilled to a depth of 2,925m. The well encountered gas and condensate with the net pay thickness around 34 meters.
Searcher announces acquisition of Triok 2D Seismic Survey in PNG
Searcher Seismic, in cooperation with BGP, was pleased to announce the expansion of its modern offshore data library with the completion in acquisition of the Triok Broadband Non-Exclusive 2D Seismic Survey in the Northern Basins of Papua New Guinea. Following the successful acquisition of the Solomon Sea Non-Exclusive 2D in the Northern Basins of Papua New Guinea, the Triok Broadband Non-Exclusive 2D Seismic Survey comprises of 3,845 kilometres of 2D long-offset, high-resolution, broadband seismic and offers an extensive regional coverage of the Cape Vogel Basin and Huon Gulf.
Gas resource upgrade adds impetus to “idle” Queensland gas province
The potential for Queensland’s Bowen Basin to be a major contributor to Australia’s diminishing east coast gas supplies has received a further timely boost with a significant resource upgrade announced by Brisbane-based Blue Energy Limited (ASX: “BUL”). The upgrade – from the Company’s Northern Bowen Basin gas fields - comes amid continued analysis of the parlous state of gas supply to east coast consumers and now the forecast potential for reduction in LNG export volumes from Gladstone from 2025, due to lower than expected field gas supply to the six LNG export trains.
Leigh Creek Energy operations breakthrough unlocks huge reserve
Leigh Creek Energy (LCK) has extracted commercial quantities of synthetic gas (Syngas) at its former Leigh Creek coal mine site for the first time. In a development touted as a “boon for the South Australia”, Leigh Creek said the milestone achievement provides the company with the data and evidence it needs to have a portion of its ‘resource’ gas deposit just north of Leigh Creek in the state’s far north, upgraded to gas ‘reserve’ status. “The upgraded status will enable the company to access SA’s largest gas resource for commercial development outside the Cooper Basin.
Senex achieves Roma North construction milestones
Senex Energy has achieved major construction milestones at the company’s Roma North natural gas development in south-west Queensland. Roma North is part of Senex’s Western Surat Gas Project and is about 30km north-east of Roma. The development involves construction of a natural gas processing facility and a 5.2km steel pipeline to transport gas to the customer, Santos GLNG. Construction of the gas processing facility is quickly taking shape. Civil works are complete and four gas compressors, each weighing up to 40 tonnes, were delivered and lifted into position in the past few days.
Australia’s newest major natural gas pipeline commissioned ahead of schedule
Australia's newest major natural gas pipeline project - built by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to deliver gas to fuel the power stations at Newmont Mining Corporation's Tanami gold mine in the Northern Territory - has been commissioned ahead of schedule. AGIG's Chief Customer Officer, Mr Andrew Staniford, announced that the NT Government had granted the milestone final consent for AGIG to operate the pipeline and for Newmont to take gas for its Tanami mining operations. "We have now commissioned the pipeline and gas is already flowing into Newmont's Tanami mine site," he said today.