PEL 91 – South Australian Cooper Basin

Drillsearch 60%

PEL 91 is located in the South Australian Cooper Basin and covers part of the southwestern flank of the Patchawarra Trough. The permit was granted on 8 January 2002 for an initial term of five years with options to renew for a further two five year terms. At each renewal there is a compulsory relinquishment of 33.33% of the original permit area.  On 5 June 2008 the permit was renewed for a second five year term that expires on 4 June 2013.  The renewed area of PEL 91 is 1972 sqkm which is 66.67% of the original permit area of 2964 sqkm.

PEL 91 is located in a prognosed ‘oil fairway’ on the western flank of the Patchawarra Trough which is found on-trend with  a number of recent discoveries including the Sellicks, Christies, Parsons and Callawonga fields and more recent Perlubie and Butlers to the south in adjacent PEL 92  and the Growler and Wirraway discoveries to the north in adjacent PEL 104.

Encouraged by these discoveries, Drillsearch and joint venture have identified new drilling targets based on 2008 Modiolus 3D Seismic Survey in the southwest corner of PEL 91 and drilled two exploration wells in August 2009. The first of the two wells, Chiton 1, was cased and suspended as a Namur oil producer and is currently undergoing the installation of an extended production test (EPT) facility. The second well, Marino 1 was a sub-commercial oil discovery with a six metre interval of oil shows within the Birkhead Formation.