Western Gas to Drill Sasanof Prospect

Western Gas has advised that the Valaris MS-1 drill rig will commence mobilisation from the Port of Dampier to the Sasanof Prospect during the window of 9 to 16 May 2022.

The MS-1 is expected to take approx. four days to reach the Sasanof Prospect, which is approx. 200 km northwest of Onslow, Western Australia, following which the rig and support vessels will commence the laying of the anchor spread prior to the commencement of drilling the Sasanof-1 exploration well. The well will be drilled vertically to a total depth of 2500 m in 1070 m of water.

Shore based preparations are now underway to ready equipment for the drilling campaign, with all long lead items acquired, key consumables ordered and ready for delivery when required.

The drilling program is anticipated to take approx. 26 days from the date of rig mobilisation from Dampier port.

Western Gas acknowledges the efforts to date of all contractors and service providers who are supporting this important drilling campaign.

COMMENT – WESTERN GAS

'With the rig mobilisation date confirmed, the stage is now set for one of the most anticipated exploration wells on the North West Shelf in many years. Success on the scale of the independent resource estimates would be a game changer for Australia’s largest gas producing basin, adding a vital new and independent gas supply for domestic energy security and export volumes to meet increasing global LNG demand,' said Will Barker, Executive Director.

ABOUT THE SASANOF PROSPECT

The Sasanof Prospect covers an area of up to 400 km2 and is on trend and updip of Western Gas’ liquids rich, low CO2 Mentorc Field.

ERCE estimates the Sasanof Prospect to contain a 2U Prospective Resource of 7.2 Tcf gas and 176 Million bbls condensate (P50), with a high case 3U Prospective Resource estimate of 17.8 Tcf gas and 449 Million bbls condensate (P10).

Sasanof is a large, seismic amplitude supported, structural-stratigraphic trap in the high-quality reservoir sands at the top of the Cretaceous top Lower Barrow Group formation on the Barrow Delta within the Exmouth Plateau.

Sasanof-1 will be Western Gas’ first well drilled from its extensive exploration portfolio surrounding the existing Equus Gas Project that contains a discovered resource of 2 Tcf and 42 MMbbl (2C Gaffney Cline). The Equus Gas Project has a historic exploration drilling success rate of 88%, with 15 discoveries from 17 wells.