Media enquiries Investor enquiries
Kathryn Mitchell Andrew Seaton
+61 8 8218 5260 / +61 (0) 407 979 982 +61 8 8218 5157 / +61 (0) 410 431 004
kathryn.mitchell@santos.com andrew.seaton@santos.com
Santos today announced that the Wortel-1exploration well encountered a gross gas column of 141 metres over the interval 1242-1383 metres. The gas column is in the same Early Pliocene Mundu Formation limestone as the productive reservoir in the nearby Oyong oil & gas field.
The well is in 42 metres of water and is located in the Sampang PSC, offshore East Java, Indonesia which is operated by Santos (Sampang) Pty Ltd. It is approximately 7 kilometres west of the Oyong oil & gas field in the same PSC.
A drill-stem test was conducted over the interval 1340-1365 metres. The well flowed at a rate of 18.5 million cubic feet per day through a 56/64” choke with a wellhead flowing pressure of 1071 psi. Condensate was produced at a rate of 4 to 5 barrels per million cubic feet. Like Oyong, the gas is sweet with no CO2 or H2S present.
“The results of Wortel-1 are encouraging, however further appraisal will be required to confirm the potential resource”, said Santos’ Managing Director, John Ellice-Flint.
Following completion of testing operations the Wortel-1 well will be plugged and abandoned as planned.
The Sedco 601 drilling rig will move to drill the Madi-1 exploration well in the neighbouring Madura Offshore PSC and then, subject to partner and government approvals, return to drill the Wortel -2 appraisal well in October 2006.
The participants are:
Santos (Sampang) Pty Ltd (operator) 40.5%
Singapore Petroleum Sampang Ltd 36%
Cue Sampang Pty Ltd 13.5%
PT Petrogas Oyong Jatim* 10%
* subject to finalisation of documentation
Santos stock symbols: STO (Australian Stock Exchange), STOSY (NASDAQ ADR), Ref #82-34 (Securities Exchange Commission)
