Exploring and appraising the oldest gas accumulations in Australia
Ray JohnsonArmour Energy.
The APPEA Journal 53(2) 470-470 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ12081
Published: 2013
Abstract
In early 2012, Armour Energy set out to evaluate the Middle-Proterozoic formations in the Batten Trough, McArthur Basin, NT. The Batten Trough holds a massive potential shale gas play in the Barney Creek Formation, and recent gas discoveries in the overlying Lynott and Reward formations, and underlying Coxco Dolomite. The Lawn Supersequence, Isa Superbasin, Queensland, is another Middle-Proterozoic shale gas play with overlying and underlying conventional and unconventional oil and gas accumulations. Exploratory drilling between the 1980s and 1990s showed gas and oil shows across the Isa Superbasin, Queensland. Egilabria-1, ATP 1087, exhibited 390 gas units while drilling with mud, highlighting the prospectivity of this area.
In both areas, the Barney Creek and Lawn Hill formations are proven source rocks and are significantly older than North American shale reservoirs. In 2012, an innovative exploration program was designed and implemented in the NT to maximise the capture of drilling data while integrating data from previous mineral and petroleum exploration programs. This resulted in gas discoveries at Cow Lagoon-1, EP 176, and in the Glyde-1 and Glyde-1 ST lateral wells in the Glyde Sub-Basin in EP171. In both cases, air drilling was instrumental in aiding drilling penetration rates, gauging gas influx while drilling, and allowing geologists to rapidly obtain and assess drill cuttings.
The authors first discuss the details of the formation evaluation methods used in Armour’s successful 2012 program and how these methods are extended to Armour’s 2013 program in the Isa Superbasin, northern Queensland. Next, an outline of the strategy for further delineation of the Batten Trough is provided. Finally, the authors summarise the exciting potential of the Lawn Supersequence in Queensland.
Ray Johnson Jr is GM exploration and production for Armour Energy in Brisbane. He completed a BA (chemistry) and an MSc (petroleum engineering) and is now a PhD candidate at UQ. He has 32 years of experience in conventional and unconventional exploration; well planning; well completions; and hydraulic fracturing design, execution, and evaluation across Australia and north America in roles with service, consulting, and operating companies. He has written numerous SPE papers and made many presentations about reservoir engineering and hydraulic fracture optimisation. Member: SPE and SPWLA. |
Josh Bluett is petroleum geologist at Armour Energy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in geoscience (applied geology) from QUT. He has three years of experience in the industry, working for MBA Petroleum Consultants and AWT International before joining Armour Energy. His career to date has involved geological and geophysical analysis of numerous Australian onshore shale gas and unconventional hydrocarbon plays. He has been involved in the earliest phases of exploration in many of these burgeoning shale gas plays. Member: PESA. |
Luke Titus is the chief geologist for Armour Energy. He received a BSc (geology) in 1997 from Fort Lewis College, Colorado. He has 16 years of exploration and development experience in major US and international petroleum basins. He has worked carbonate, tight sands, coalbed methane plays, and shale plays across the Rocky Mountain and mid-continent basins; in 2010, QGC hired him as a principal geologist in upstream subsurface developments where he was responsible for reserve growth in the Surat Basin, Queensland. Member: AAPG. |
David Warner is a geologist with 38 years of experience in the oil and gas business developing conventional and unconventional prospects. He has a BSc (geology) (honours) from Armidale University and an MSc from Imperial College London. Before joining Armour Energy, he was directly involved in the development of Santos’ unconventional gas projects and responsible for presenting the concept of unconventional gas as a resource within the company. Member: AAPG and SPE. |
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