Eastern Gas Corp. Ltd. has reported encouraging drilling updates from its Project Venus in Queensland’s Surat Basin, recording total gas readings of up to 25.4 per cent during appraisal operations.
The company confirmed that its horizontal appraisal well, Venus-2H, has entered the target Macalister Lower coal seam. Under wellsite classification standards, gas readings exceeding 8 per cent are considered ‘excellent’.
Drilling through the target coal seam has encountered intervals of up to 100 per cent coal cuttings. The surface gas monitoring readings confirm high gas saturation levels along the well path as Venus-2H continues towards its planned intersection with the existing Venus-1 vertical wellbore.
At a measured depth of approximately 860 metres, Venus-2H is roughly 60 metres away from Venus-1. Eastern Gas is deploying a downhole ranging tool to guide the final section of drilling to achieve the intersection, after which it plans to extend the horizontal path to a total length of 1,000 metres.
Once the integrated well system is established, Eastern Gas will move to dewatering and flow testing to assess water production, pressure response, and overall gas productivity.
Managing Director David Spring described the early observations as encouraging, while noting that flow testing will be required to establish commercial deliverability.
“The drilling results to date confirm that Venus-2H has entered the target Macalister Lower coal seam on its planned trajectory toward Venus-1,” Spring said.
“These observations are encouraging and confirm the presence of high gas saturation within the target coal along the well trajectory.
“However, they are drilling indications rather than flow test results, and the productivity of the well will be determined through the planned dewatering and flow-testing program.”
Eastern Gas expects to announce further updates upon completing the horizontal drill section and commencing flow testing.
