Beach Energy recently completed the second phase of fracture stimulation of the Roseneath shale, Epsilon formation and Murteree shale (REM) sections for the Encounter-1 shale and basin-centered gas well.

The first phase was a single stage fracture stimulation of the top section of the Patchawarra formation, which delivered a flow rate of up to 750,000 standard cubic feet per day (scf/d), with decline rates in line with those from the Holdfast-1 well.

The second phase fracture stimulation resulted in five stages over a 250 m (820 ft) section of REM and delivered a peak gas flow of 1.3 MMscf/d, which when combined with the first phase fracture stimulation of the Patchawarra formation, delivered a peak total flow for the well of up to 2.1 MMscf/d. The Encounter-1 well will be flow tested for approximately four weeks with the aim of better understanding zone contributions by the various REM sections.

The Halliburton fracture stimulation spread was released from site during the week beginning June 25. Beach is expecting the return of the Halliburton spread to the Cooper basin in September 2012, at which time it will undertake the batch fracture stimulation of Beach’s deeper vertical wells, Moonta- 1, Streaky-1 and Boston-1.

These wells have been, and will be, drilled to the base of the Patchawarra, to depths of almost 4 km (2.5 miles).
Beach recently commenced the 2-D seismic survey over its Lake Tanganyika South concession in Tanzania. The survey is approximately 30% complete with another six weeks required to complete the acquisition of the 1,400 km (870 miles) program, to be followed by 400 km (249 miles) of infill 2-D seismic.

Preliminary results from the survey have confirmed extensive structuring, similar to that beneath Lake Albert in Uganda, as well as a number of attractive seismic anomalies. These anomalies include potential direct hydrocarbon indicators consistent with an active petroleum system.