Drilling of the well is aimed at obtaining further data for identifying the oil and gas potential in the Toolebuc Shale.
Core well sampling of the shale oil and gas in the Toolebuc Shale is expected to provide information on the distribution of shale properties required for appraisal of the resource identified by the Bessies/Euston/Katherine wells in 2011.
It will also offer a low-cost secondary test of the southern extent of the Permian coal measures in ATP 1005P by rotary drilling to basement after coring the Toolebuc Shale.
Exoma expects that coal will not be encountered by this well, though the log data will confirm the structural geology that affects the Bradley Creek-1 coal seam gas well to be drilled by the end of 2012.
Darr-1 will target shale exploration and will be plugged and abandoned after drilling and logging.
Exoma owns a 50% stake in both ATP 1005P and the Darr-1 well while the joint venture partner CNOOC Galilee Gas Company is earning the balance of the interest by paying the initial $50m expenditures on five Galilee Basin permits.
