Australian Oil Co has made operational progress across its Surat Basin assets in Queensland, with a production turnaround at its Emu Apple oil field and facility upgrades ahead of a planned restart at Riverslea.
Following a successful acid wash intervention, the Emu Apple-1 well is now delivering a sustained flow of 15 to 20 barrels of dry oil per day with zero water cut, down from a previous 30 per cent water cut.
Downhole measurements confirm fluid levels remain 100 metres above the pump intake, giving the company clear operational scope to increase pumping rates as the well continues to clean up.
Site surveys at Emu Apple-2 and Emu Apple-3 have been completed to plan similar interventions and install hydraulic pumping units to boost total recovery across the licence. The next crude lifting by transport operator IOR is scheduled in two weeks.
In parallel, Australian Oil is advancing preparations for an imminent restart of the nearby Riverslea production facility. Planned upgrades include remediating evaporation ponds, enhancing access roads, and installing a new water separation tank.
To reduce capital expenditure, spare load-out pumps and flowlines identified at Emu Apple will be redeployed directly into Riverslea operations.
Reactivation plans include deploying a hydraulic pumping unit on Riverslea-1 and targeting free-flow output from Riverslea-3.
Meanwhile, pipeline connection evaluations at the Boxley field are underway to tie in gas production from the Major Field into the Silver Springs Gas Plant.
Australian Oil Managing Director Kane Marshall said: “The sustained improvement in Emu Apple-1 production post-intervention and the commencement of wide-ranging upgrades across our facilities underscore our commitment to efficient field management and value creation.
“We look forward to translating these successes to our broader Surat Basin portfolio as we grow output and position for the next phase of our company’s evolution.”
The company’s Surat Basin strategy is progressing with targeted due diligence on a range of new opportunities, reinforcing a broader basin-wide consolidation agenda to optimise returns and growth potential across the portfolio.
