Galilee Energy has commenced drilling at the Zydeco-1 well in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, marking the start of its first drilling campaign on the US Gulf Coast.
The well was officially spudded, signalling the transition from preparation and rig-up to active drilling operations, according to the company.
Initial work on Zydeco-1 involves drilling and setting 9-5/8in casing at around 2,200ft true vertical depth (TVD).
Operations are set to progress with further drilling and logging through the Homeseekers B-sand.
Plans then call for the setting of 7in casing at approximately 9,319ft TVD, before advancing towards the Upper Tweedle at approximately 9,577ft TVD and the Lower Tweedle at roughly 9,975ft TVD.
The well is targeting a conventional Gulf Coast gas-condensate accumulation, with unrisked prospective resources estimated at up to 13.7 billion cubic feet of gas and 610,000 barrels of condensate.
The Zydeco-1 location was selected based on modern geological studies and 3D seismic data. It is intended as a low-risk offset to the Maccabees, et al. No. B-1 well.
The project covers 325.3 acres of mineral leases and is located near producing fields and close to a gas spur line connected to the Texas Gas Pipeline.
Detailed assessment of hydrocarbon potential will be performed after drilling through the Upper and Lower Tweedle formations, when electric logging will determine whether the target sands contain hydrocarbon pay and if the reservoir quality supports completion.
Galilee Energy plans to report the next significant update after electric logging, expected around August 2026.
If commercial quantities are confirmed, plans include immediate completion and connection to existing pipeline infrastructure.
Galilee Energy managing director Joseph Graham said: “Spudding Zydeco-1 is an extremely exciting moment for Galilee.
“This is the point where years of technical work, disciplined preparation and careful execution move into the drill bit.
“The rig is turning, the well is under way and we are now testing a high-impact conventional gas-condensate opportunity in one of the most productive hydrocarbon regions in the US.
“The team has done an outstanding job getting Zydeco-1 to this point safely, on schedule and within budget.”
Graham noted that the company now has a well-defined drilling schedule in place, with the most critical moment expected to come once electric logs are run through the Tweedle formations.
He added that if those logs verify the presence of the targeted hydrocarbon pay, Galilee intends to proceed quickly toward completion work, surface facilities, and tying the well into the pipeline network.
With the rig now turning, attention will turn to the coming weeks of drilling as the well progresses through its planned casing points and target horizons.
The Homeseekers B-sand will be logged en route to deeper objectives, but it is the Upper and Lower Tweedle formations that stand as the campaign’s primary value drivers, given their potential to host commercial hydrocarbon pay.
Should electric logging confirm the presence of hydrocarbons in commercial quantities, Galilee Energy has indicated it is prepared to move swiftly, with completion operations and pipeline tie-in works lined up to follow without delay.
The proximity of Zydeco-1 to existing production infrastructure and a connected gas spur line linked to the Texas Gas Pipeline positions the project to reach markets quickly if the well delivers as hoped.
Investors and industry observers will now watch for the August 2026 update, which is expected to provide the clearest indication yet of whether the Zydeco project can deliver on its prospective resource estimates.
Galilee Energy holds a 100 per cent working interest and a 70 per cent net revenue interest in the Zydeco Oil & Gas Project.
