Exploration of an unconventional petroleum resource through extensive core analysis and basin geology interpretation utilising play element methodology: the Lower Goldwyer Formation, onshore Canning Basin, Western Australia
Jop van Hattum A C , Aaron Bond B , Dariusz Jablonski B and Ryan Taylor-Walshe AA Theia Energy Pty Ltd, Ground Floor, 15 Rheola Street, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.
B Finder Energy Ltd, Ground Floor, 15 Rheola Street, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: j.vanhattum@theiaenergy.com
The APPEA Journal 59(1) 464-481 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ18225
Submitted: 21 December 2018 Accepted: 26 February 2019 Published: 17 June 2019
Abstract
Theia Energy Pty Ltd1 (Theia Energy) discovered a potential unconventional hydrocarbon resource in the Ordovician Lower Goldwyer (GIII) Formation shale located on the Broome Platform of the onshore Canning Basin. The collation, processing, analysis and interpretation of all available regional data culminated in a successful exploration well, Theia-1 (drilled in 2015), which, based upon petrophysical and core analyses, intersected a 70 m gross oil column at 1500–1570 m depth. Theia-1 recovered essential core and wireline log data required to analyse and assess the play elements and reservoir properties necessary for a viable shale oil and gas development. Utilisation of an ‘Unconventional Play Element’ methodology has proven the unconventional hydrocarbon potential of the GIII Formation, and preliminary modelling indicates that economic stimulated flow rates may be achieved. Further operations (a test well with multi-stage hydraulic fracture stimulation) are scheduled in the coming permit year to further quantify the presence of extractable organic matter in the GIII Formation, assess hydrocarbon flow rates, determine fluid composition and appraise commercial viability. This paper will discuss Theia Energy’s exploration campaign in the onshore Canning Basin starting with the regional evaluation, which encompassed all available geoscience data (offset wells, pre-existing seismic and potential analogue fields) and modern specialised shale analysis (sequence stratigraphy, paleogeography, geochemistry, unconventional petrophysics and petroleum systems modelling), to develop a robust regional geological model for the GIII Formation. Pre-drill analysis reduced exploration risk and successfully identified the key geological play elements essential for the successful Theia-1 exploration evaluation program.
Keywords: chemo-stratigraphy, discovery, drilling, exploration, gas, geochemistry, geochemical analysis, geomechanics, Great Sandy Desert, hydraulic fracturing, hydrocarbon resource, oil, palynology, petrophysics, play, shale, Ordovician.
Jop van Hattum has over 20 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry. His most recent experience includes three years with the Northern Territory Government as the Senior Director in petroleum technology and operations, which involved regulatory oversight of shale gas exploration and several major pipeline construction projects. He has deep knowledge and experience in upstream project and operations management and has worked across a variety of onshore and offshore basins spanning both conventional and unconventional resource plays. He holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Petroleum Engineering from Delft University of Technology, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Melbourne Business School (University of Melbourne) and a Graduate Diploma in Energy and Resources Law from Melbourne Law School, along with certificates in project management, marketing, incident investigation and safety leadership. Mr. van Hattum holds the position of Chief Operating Officer at Theia Energy and he is a member of SPE, AIPN and AMPLA. |
Aaron Bond has over 16 years’ experience as a proven oil and gas explorer in both technical and leadership roles. Previously, he worked nine years with the Italian multi-national oil company Eni. This included a key role in the Australian exploration team that discovered the Kitan Oil Field. Several years, in Italy, Mr. Bond worked with the deepwater Angola team with numerous oil discoveries that have now formed the West and East hub developments for that company. Mr. Bond moved back to Australia and joined Finder Exploration in 2011 where he was the Lead Geoscientist responsible for mapping, de-risking and farming out of the Phoenix South and Roc prospects that lead to major oil and gas discoveries in a new play situated in the Bedout Sub-basin. Mr. Bond is currently Exploration Manager of Finder Energy and looks after the company’s offshore portfolio, and he is a member of AAPG and PESA. |
Dariusz Jablonski received a BSc in Geology from the Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1985. In 1986, Mr. Jablonski joined Woodside Offshore Petroleum Pty Ltd where he worked as a basin analyst on acreage assessment, risk analysis, play map generation and building geological databases covering the Westralian Super-basin, the Perth Basin, South and Eastern Australia, Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea. Between 2001 and 2005, he worked on prospect generation and evaluation of exploration acreage in Australia, Ukraine, East Africa, Mediterranean, UK, Middle East, Thailand, Canada and Central and South America. Between 2006 and 2016, he was the Exploration Manager of Finder Exploration and was responsible for both conventional and unconventional exploration acreage in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica and Canada. As exploration manager of Finder Exploration, his latest successful wells were the oil discovery at Phoenix South-1, gas discovery at Roc-1 and the unconventional well at Theia-1. Mr. Jablonski is currently Finder Energy’s Principal Geological Advisor. Mr. Jablonski is the author of several publications covering the Australian North West Shelf, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and he is a member of PESA. |
Ryan Taylor-Walshe started his career at Tesla-10 in 1993 and was responsible for acquiring electromagnetic, gravity, magnetic and induced polarisation data for mineral exploration in various remote locations of Australia. In 1995, he graduated from Curtin University with a BSc (Hons) degree in Geophysics and spent the following 19 years with Schlumberger in their seismic services segment companies. He worked in a variety of positions such as seismic data processing, regional marine operations, governmental regulatory lobbying, Asia Pacific non-exclusive seismic business development and sales and marketing. In 2008, he became a director of Schlumberger Australia Pty Ltd until 2013. In 2012 he was appointed Vice Chairman Seismic for the Austral Chapter of the International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC). From 2013, Mr. Taylor-Walshe has led Theia Energy’s exploration campaign in the Great Sandy Desert, culminating in the successful Theia-1 exploration well, which was drilled without incidents and within budget in 2015. Mr. Taylor-Walshe is currently the General Manager at Theia Energy and he is a member of SPE, PESA and IAGC. |
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