Cooper Energy announces that Jolly-1, the first of two deep wells targeting the Casterton Formation within the Penola Trough of the onshore Otway Basin, was spudded in PEL 495 on 11 January by the Ensign 916 rig. At 6:00 am on 13 January the well was preparing to run 13-3/8' surface casing.

The primary objective of Jolly-1 is to assess the unconventional oil and gas potential of shales within the Casterton Formation through drilling to a prognosed total depth of 4,000 metres and collecting over 100 metres of conventional core. It is anticipated that the well will intersect the Casterton Formation approximately 1,000 metres deeper than Sawpit-2, which was drilled to a total depth of 2,585 metres in March 2013. The Casterton Formation is considered to be the primary source rock for the existing conventional gas/condensate fields in the Penola Trough.

Tags: Cooper Energy