OilVoice - Origin Energy Confirms Rockhopper 1 Discovery in Bass Basin, Tasmania

Origin Energy Confirms Rockhopper 1 Discovery in Bass Basin, Tasmania

Monday, January 04, 2010

Origin Energy, on behalf of the T/18P Joint Venture, advises that as at 06:00 hours EDT on Monday 4 January 2010 the current operation at Rockhopper 1 is running wireline logs.

Wireline pressure data recorded in the well to date confirm the presence of multiple hydrocarbon columns in a sequence of interbedded sands and shales in the Lower Eastern View Coal Measures. Selective wireline sampling has recovered oil from some sands and liquids rich gas from others. Thickness of individual sand beds varies from 1 metre to around to 5 metres. Reservoir quality appears to be variable.

As no definitive water bearing sands are present in the target section, the Joint Venture is contemplating drilling a sidetrack to a downflank location on the Rockhopper structure to establish hydrocarbon column heights.

It remains too early to comment on the commercial significance of this new field discovery, but the JV is encouraged by results to date, particularly by the recovery of crude oil from some sands.

Rockhopper 1 is an exploration well located in exploration permit T/18P, operated by Origin some 38km west of the Yolla gas field and approximately 10km north-north-east of Trefoil 1.

T/18P Participating Interests
Origin Energy Resources Ltd*: 39.0% (Operator)
AWE Ltd: 47.5%
CalEnergy Gas (Australia) Ltd: 8.5%
Innamincka Petroleum Ltd: 5.0%
* a wholly owned subsidiary of Origin Energy Limited