Santos has announced that testing of the Barossa-1 well in the Timor/Bonaparte basin offshore Northern Territory has confirmed the presence of gas and provided valuable reservoir and composition data.

“Barossa-1 is an encouraging result that further builds on Santos’ gas resources in the offshore Timor/Bonaparte region,” Santos Managing Director, John Ellice-Flint, said.

“The forward programme is to drill an appraisal well on the nearby Caldita gas discovery, and to acquire 3D seismic data over these structures to determine the likely resource range and the development potential,” he said.

The Barossa-1 well was drilled to a total depth of 4,310 m, with logging and two drill stem tests now completed. The first test, of a lower-quality reservoir interval, flowed gas at a rate of approximately 800,000 cubic feet per day through a 1 inch choke.

The second test, of a higher-quality reservoir interval, flowed gas at a rate of approximately 30.1 million cubic feet per day through a 56/64 inch choke, with a condensate rate of 7 - 9 barrels per MMcf of raw gas as measured at the rig site. The gas flow rate test was constrained by limitations of the surface equipment. Test results indicate a CO₂ content in the gas of approximately 16%.

Barossa-1 is the third well to be drilled on this structure following the drilling of the Lynedoch-1 and 2 wells in 1973 and 1998 respectively. The Barossa-1 well will now be plugged and abandoned as planned, and the rig will be moved to the Caldita-2 location.

The Barossa discovery is located in exploration permit NT/P69, 295 km north–northwest of Darwin in water depth of 233 m. The participants in NT/P69 are: Santos Offshore Pty Ltd Limited (40%) and ConocoPhillips Australia Exploration Pty Ltd (operator and 60%).

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The Barossa discovery is located in exploration permit NT/P69, 295 km north–northwest of Darwin in water depth of 233 m.