Apache finds gas with Zola off W. Australia

Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Feb. 23 -- A group led by Apache Energy Ltd. Made a natural gas discovery with its Zola-1 wildcat well in the primary Triassic-age Mungaroo formation target on permit WA-290-P off Western Australia. The find is on trend with Gorgon gas field, the group said.

Data obtained while drilling indicate the presence of gas from the top of this primary reservoir, which is the same as that at Chevron Australia’s Gorgon field, about 40 km to the north.

The Zola prospect is a large tilted fault block that has been delineated by high-quality, newly reprocessed 3D seismic data.

The structure’s size suggests a range of recoverable reserves of 1-2 tcf of gas.

The group said the Mungaroo section will be drilled through before wireline logs are run to confirm the extent and thickness of the gas column.

The well is being drilled by the Stena Clyde semisubmersible rig.

Apache is operator with 30.25%. OMV AG has 20%, Santos Ltd. 24.75%, Nippon Oil Exploration 15%, and Tap Oil Ltd. 10%.