Mainland Resources has said that the company is drilling ahead on the Burkley-Phillips No 1 well at 16,531ft in Jefferson County in Mississippi.
The company has drilled to a depth of 12,940ft since the last update where it conducted electric line logging, acquired side-wall cores in selected zones and successfully installed and cemented a 9 5/8" casing string.
The well penetrated a sand package preliminarily identified as the Lower Tuscaloosa Massive Sand with approximately 50ft of thickness exhibiting elevated mud log gas readings.
Further analysis of the sand, utilizing electric line logging and side-wall cores, has warranted the initiation of a technical and commercial analysis, which is currently in progress.
The further plan is to continue to a depth of approximately 19,200ft where wireline logging will be conducted to analyze the current open-hole interval and then a string of protective casing will be installed and cemented.
At that point, the company will begin drilling the final section of the well targeting the Haynesville Shale and will continue the drilling program to an anticipated depth of 22,000ft.