Moonie Resurrection

Moonie, Australia’s first commercial oil field, was discovered in 1961 and 60 years later, is on track to be Australia’s first carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) project. Carbon utilisation involves enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology, with the injection of CO 2 (CO 2 -EOR) into the Precipice Sandstone primary oil reservoir. Since acquiring Moonie in late 2016, Bridgeport has completed core and PVT analyses, and reservoir modelling studies, which indicate that the field is an excellent candidate for CO 2 -EOR. History matching of the field reservoir simulation models for the cumulative 25 mmbbls of historic production provides confidence of the original oil in-place (OOIP).

Further technical review to estimate the current and ultimate (post-CCUS) residual oil saturations will inform the likely EOR efficiency. This is an important parameter for predicting expected tertiary oil recoveries from the injection of CO 2 into the Precipice Sandstone.

A supply of anthropogenic CO 2 is expected to be sourced from a post carbon capture (PCC) facility which will be installed at the nearby Millmerran coal-fired power station. The initial pilot project at Moonie involves the injection of at least 60,000 tonnes/annum in an existing Moonie oil well, with enhanced oil production from an array of up to 6 production wells. In addition, the pilot will demonstrate that significant volumes of CO 2 can be stored safely in Moonie’s secure, geological structure.