Western Australia based Central Petroleum (ASX:CTP) has elected to drill a second well in EP-115, Surprise-1, given encouragement received from the Johnstone West-1 well, 8 km away.
Central exercised an option with MB Century drilling services for the planned drilling of Surprise-1 (S-1), a wildcat well.
S-1 will be drilled on completion of JW-1 to test similar objectives to JW-1, inclusive of the Stairway Sandstone and the Pacoota Sandstone.
John Heugh, managing director, said, "Whilst there is some uncertainty of which formation JW-1 is currently drilling in, there is sufficient encouragement at this well already to vindicate a decision to approve the drilling of Surprise-1, which is in a more favourable geological location closer to the oil kitchen and thus requiring less migration than JW-1.”
The two wells, JW-1 and S-1 are located on different but parallel North-South lines approximately 5 km apart in the East-West direction.
Any oil migrated from the deeper parts of the oil kitchen to the greater Johnstone structure and JW-1 would necessarily have migrated through the S-1 structure.
It is anticipated that if sidetrack operations are successful at JW-1, the rig will be making new hole past the previous oil shows from 1387m to 1475m.
Central is Operator and holds a 90% interest in EP 115, through wholly-owned subsidiary Frontier Oil & Gas Pty Ltd and Trident Energy Limited conditionally holds a 10% interest in the permit.