Santos announced a gas discovery at the Winchester-1 exploration well in WA-323-P, located in the Carnarvon Basin offshore Western Australia.
Winchester is Santos’ fourth consecutive exploration gas discovery offshore Western Australia, following successes at Crown, Bassett West and Bianchi.
Wireline logging and pressure testing has confirmed 40 m of net gas pay in the Jurassic Angel and Triassic Mungaroo formations between 3,614 and 3,721 m. Multiple gas samples have been recovered and are being analyzed.
Winchester is located approximately 135 km northwest of Dampier in a water depth of 75 m.
Santos’ Head of Exploration, Bill Ovenden, said wireline logging has confirmed a gas discovery with excellent reservoir quality at Winchester.
“Winchester-1 will now be deepened to evaluate the gas-bearing potential of further objectives within the Mungaroo section,” said Ovenden.
Santo’s Vice President Western Australia and Northern Territory, John Anderson, said a gas discovery at Winchester is a significant outcome, and potential commercialization options could include the expansion of Santos’ existing production through jointly owned infrastructure, or alternatively via proximal existing third party LNG infrastructure, which surrounds WA-323-P.
Santos holds 75% of WA-323-P and is the operator. The remaining interest is held by Octanex N.L.