PEL 104 & PRL 15
Cooper Basin JV,
(Impress 40%, Operator Victoria Petroleum)
PEL 104 containing PRL 15 is located on the Western Margin of the
PEL 104 is considered highly prospective for both oil in the Jurassic sequences on the Western Margin and gas in the deeper Permian sequences in the central and eastern portions of the permits.
All of the three wells drilled in PEL 104 by the Joint Venure in 2006/2007 were successful oil discoveries. Growler-1 encountered an 18 metre oil column in the Lower Birkhead formation and on drill stem test flowed 36 barrels of 49 degree API oil over a two hour flow period and was completed as a future oil producer. Wirraway-1 encountered an 18 metre oil column in the Lower Birkhead formation and was completed as a future oil producer. Growler-2 encountered a 15 metre oil column in the Lower Birkhead reservoir and was completed as an oil producer.
In July 2007 the Joint Venture partners gave authorisation to carry out an Extended Production Test (EPT) on Growler-1 and Growler-2. In late November 2007 the Operator gained regulatory approval for construction of a new production road to the Growler Oil Field, and the Growler Central Gathering Facilities. The project was completed in late March 2008 and the field placed on stream.
Growler-3, drilled as an appraisal well on the northwest flank of the field encountered a 19 metre oil column within the reservoir, which is very well developed. The Joint Venture elected to test the well and the well flowed oil to the surface at a rate of 1674 BOPD with no water on a 1 inch choke. The well has been completed as an oil producer.
The drilling program to date has exceeded expectations and will lead to an upgrade of the field reserves and the production facility.
The Joint Venture has agreed to additional drilling at Growler and the adjacent Wirraway Oil Field subsequent to the completion of the wildcat drilling program.
Because of the restraints of the Growler Facility’s crude handling capabilities and limited availability of trucking contractors, the total production from the Growler Oilfield is limited to only between 900 to 1000 BOPD.
In light of even further production from Growler-5, the Joint Venture partners have authorised a review of both the trucking and crude handling capabilities of the Growler Facilities with the view of increasing production in the first instance to at least 1000 BOPD on a sustainable level, then up to 2000 BOPD in the near future to handle any further successful discoveries.
The first stage of the upgrade to at least 1000 BOPD capability is planned to be completed in the next two months.
Apart from the increased production from any success at Growler-5, the Joint Venture would also be in the position to confirm bookable 2P reserves of the Growler Oilfield of 1.8 million barrels.
All of the successful wells (including Tigercat-1) have encountered oil columns which are larger than the structural closure that can be mapped for each discovery, which indicates that there is a stratigraphic component to the traps which cannot be mapped adequately with the existing 2D seismic grid. These results have increased the likelihood that, at a P50 level of confidence, the combined Wirraway-Growler-Warhawk oil fields could represent 43.9 million barrels of oil in place, with an expected recovery of 8.4 million barrels.
To further investigate the structural and stratigraphic extent of the accumulations the Joint Venture has agreed to acquire a large 3D seismic survey in the area. Subject to crew scheduling and approvals, this work is expected to commence in mid 2009.