Jadestone Energy has reported that the Skua-11ST development well at the Montara field offshore Australia has delivered initial oil production rates significantly above expectations following successful flow testing.
Production from Skua-11ST began in early August, reaching over 6,000 barrels per day (bpd), well ahead of the previously guided 3,500 bpd. Output later stabilized at approximately 4,400 bpd on a 40% open choke, ahead of the restart of other subsea wells at Montara.
The well, completed with downhole inflow control devices, is designed to enhance reservoir sweep and long-term recovery. Skua-11ST will be managed alongside other Montara wells to maximize overall recovery from the field.
“We are pleased to report the strong initial flows from the Skua-11ST well, which will meaningfully contribute to higher production from Montara, underpinning our revised 2025 production guidance which was upgraded in July. The increase in production will also reduce Montara unit operating costs and extend field life by approximately one year,” said T. Mitch Little, Chief Executive Officer of Jadestone.
Jadestone had upgraded its 2025 production guidance in July following early performance indicators across the Montara operations.
Jadestone is the 100% owner and operator of the producing Montara project, located in production licences AC/L7 and AC/L8 in the Timor Sea, approximately 630 kilometers offshore Western Australia, in a water depth of 77 meters.
The Montara fields are situated in the prolific Vulcan sub-basin. Montara operations involve the production of oil using platform production wells for the Montara field and subsea wells for the Swift, Skua and Swallow fields.
The oil from the subsea wells is piped via subsea flowlines to an unmanned wellhead platform and then to the Montara Venture owned floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility, which acts as a hub for the Montara fields, and potentially other stranded discoveries in the region.