Tamboran Resources Corporation (NYSE:TBN, ASX:TBN) has successfully drilled, cased and cemented the Shenandoah South 3H (SS-3H) well’s 5-½-inch casing, achieving a total depth of 21,169 feet (6,452 metres) within Beetaloo Basin exploration permit EP 98 in Australia's Northern Territory.
The well was drilled in just 25 days with an average drilling rate of 843 feet per day, 10 days and 43% faster than the SS-2H well, the only other well drilled to more than 20,000 feet.
TBN says the swift completion of SS-3H was enabled by implementing key lessons learned from wells drilled earlier in the 2024 campaign.
Strong gas shows, high-quality shale
“We are proud to have achieved the first drilled, cased and cemented 10,000-foot horizontal section below 8,000 feet total vertical depth (TVD) within the Mid Velkerri B Shale of the Beetaloo Basin to date,” Tamboran managing director and CEO Joel Riddle said.
“Importantly, we encountered strong gas shows and no observed faulting across the entire horizontal section, which continues to exhibit high-quality shale properties in line with the SS-1H drilling location three miles away.
“Drilling took a total of 25 days to reach TD, at an average drilling speed of 843 feet per day, which is 43% quicker than the drilling of the original SS-2H well, the only other well drilled to a similar total depth in the Beetaloo Basin to date.
“The operations team deserve full credit for delivering this historic result, which now gives us the opportunity to demonstrate flow testing over a full 10,000-foot horizontal section prior to finalising the 2025 drilling program.
“ Next (LON:NXT) year's program will focus on the remaining development wells required for the proposed Shenandoah South Pilot Project, which is expected to deliver much-needed gas supply into the Northern Territory gas market.”
Liberty Energy stimulation equipment and sand has been mobilised to the well location ahead of a 100-120-stage stimulation campaign, scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
TBN says the SS-2H ST1 well will be stimulated with up to 45 stages once the 5,577-feet (1,700-metre) horizontal section has been cased while the SS-3H completion design is expected to increase to up to 75 stimulated stages over the 10,000-foot section.
The company expects to release IP30 flow rate test results from both wells in the first quarter of next year.