The Bauer-5 well has intersected 6 m (20 ft) of net oil pay in the Namur sandstone, confirming the extension of the mapped Namur accumulation northeast of the Bauer oil field, Beach Energy announced.

Flow rates are expected to be in line with those of previously completed wells with the impact on reserves to be confirmed by further appraisal drilling.

The secondary target of the Bauer-5 well, the Birkhead formation, encountered a 5 m (16 ft) oil column. The interval was drillstem tested, with 48.3° condensate coming to surface after 28 minutes at 1,160 barrels per day.

Due to the stratigraphic nature of Birkhead accumulations, it will be difficult to estimate the additional mean recoverable barrels from Bauer-5. However, it is likely that the well will have a material impact to the field in terms of 2P reserves. The well is to be cased and suspended as a future oil producer.

Following the completion of the evaluation program, the Ensign 930 rig will be moved to the Bauer-7 development well, which is located approximately 1 km (0.62 miles) southwest of Bauer-5.

“The continued appraisal success within the Bauer oil field is not only important from a future production perspective, but also builds on our understanding of oil accumulations as they trend northeast from Bauer,” said Reg Nelson, managing director of Beach. “The Namur sandstone was the primary target of the Bauer-5 appraisal well; however, the recovery of oil from the Birkhead formation was the first of its kind in PEL 91. We recently completed 3D seismic along this trend line and have already identified some interesting prospects and leads, which we will drill over the course of FY13.”