AWE Spuds Irwin-1 Exploration Well

AWE Limited advises that the Irwin-1 exploration well, located in the onshore Perth Basin, Western Australia, was spudded on Wednesday, 25 March 2015.

The Irwin prospect straddles the EP320 (AWE 33%) and L1 (AWE 50%, Operator) boundary and the Irwin-1 drilling program is being operated by AWE under an agency agreement with joint venture partner, Origin Energy Limited.

The well was at a measured depth of 115m and was drilling ahead in a 17 ½ inch hole to a planned depth of 930m in preparation for the installation of the 13 3/8 inch surface casing.

The Irwin-1 exploration well will be drilled vertically to a planned total depth of 4,064m and is fore cast to take approximately seven weeks to complete. The well is designed to test the gas potential to the east of the Senecio and Waitsia gas fields and is targeting the Dongara and Wagina tight sandstone formations, the Carynginia Shale and Irwin River Coal Measures, as well as deeper conventional targets in the Kingia and High Cliff Sandstones.

If the results are positive, AWE may undertake a flow test of the Irwin-1 well to better establish the commercial potential of the reservoir(s). The approved work program for the Irwin-1 exploration well does not include hydraulic fracture stimulation.

The Irwin-1 exploration well is located approximately 22.7kms east of Dongara, Western Australia. Irwin-1 is the first well of a three well drilling program planned for the Perth Basin in 2015. It will be followed by the Waitsia-1 and Waitsia-2 appraisal wells on the newly discovered Waitsia Gas Field.