L&M Petroleum (LMP) is pleased to announce that extended laboratory analysis of coal samples collected during the drilling of the Goodwin-1 coal seam gas (CSG) exploration well has confirmed the presence of the gas resource.
The Goodwin-1 well, located adjacent to the proven Ohai coalfield in the eastern portion of petroleum exploration permit (PEP) 38226 (Waiau), was the first of three wells drilled in the Company’s 2008 coal seam gas (CSG) exploration program targeting up to 300 PJ of coal seam gas resources in the South Island of New Zealand.
The well reached total depth of 360m on 18th September 2008 with 11m of gassy coal having been recovered from the Beaumont and Morley formations during coring operations. Several other coal seams encountered of less than 1m in thickness were not selected for gas analysis.
Initial gas desorption test results, using the fast-track “crush” method, indicated that the sampled coals contained gas contents of up to 4.42 cubic metres (m3) of methane per tonne of coal and were over-saturated with gas, containing only a small quantity of water. 15 cores samples were preserved in pressurised containers and sent for extended gas desorption analysis.
Laboratory results from CRL Energy Ltd in Christchurch confirmed the coals in the Goodwin-1 well contain up to 4.4 m3 of methane per tonne (averaging 2.41 m3 per tonne over the entire sample). The test results also indicate that 78-98% of the gas-in-place is potentially recoverable. Based on these results, future wells located in the Goodwin-1 area could be expected to contain ca. 120 mmscf of producible coal seam gas each.
Final testing results from the second well in the CSG programme, Wairaki-1, in adjacent exploration permit, PEP 38238 (Te Anau), are expected to be received within the next few weeks.