Tamboran Resources Corporation has set a new benchmark in Australian shale gas production with its Shenandoah South 2H sidetrack (SS-2H ST1) well, achieving a Beetaloo Basin record average 30-day initial production (IP30) flow rate of 7.2 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) over a 5,483-foot (1,671-metre), 35-stage stimulated section in the Mid Velkerri B Shale.
When normalised to a 10,000-foot horizontal section, the well’s flow rate of 13.2 MMcf/d aligns with the average performance of more than 11,000 wells in the prolific Marcellus Shale dry gas area in the United States, underscoring the commercial potential of the Beetaloo resource.
The SS-2H ST1 well maintained a steady, low-declining exit rate trajectory at 6.7 MMcf/d (normalised at 12.2 MMcf/d per 10,000 feet), with a flowing wellhead pressure of approximately 910 psi, mirroring the robust performance of the earlier SS-1H well.
These results reinforce Tamboran’s confidence in the commercial deliverability of gas from the Mid Velkerri B Shale to the East Coast gas market, which typically commands a premium to the US Henry Hub price.
Managing Director Joel Riddle highlighted the significance of the achievement, stating: “The Shenandoah South 2H sidetrack well has delivered a record average IP30 flow result of 7.2 MMcf/d from the Beetaloo Basin to date.
“Results show a material step up in flow rate from a horizontal section stimulated approximately three times longer than the SS-1H well.”
The company’s drilling campaign is set to continue in the second half of 2025, targeting up to three additional 10,000-foot horizontal wells from the SS2 well pad, pending final joint venture approval.
Upon completion, all five wells on the SS2 pad are planned to be connected to the Sturt Plateau Compression Facility, supporting a 40 MMcf/d Gas Sales Agreement with the Northern Territory government, with production expected to commence in mid-2026, subject to regulatory and stakeholder approvals and favourable weather conditions.
Riddle further emphasised the broader impact of the results: “The IP30 flow rate over a 5,482-foot horizontal section is another positive data point that demonstrates potential commercial productivity of the shale formation in the Australian East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the US and under long term CPI-linked contracts.
“Importantly, the results from SS-2H ST1 are in line with the average of more than 11,000 wells produced for over 12 months in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area, the most prolific shale gas basin in the world.”
