Empire Energy Corporation operates in Tasmania’s central and northern basins, becoming a leading low-cost finder of hydrocarbons. Today’s announcement by the state government of Tasmania gives permission to prepare the lease for the Thunderbolt #1 site and to drill the top hole. Provided that the rig is inspected, approval has also been given to move the drill rig to Thunderbolt #1 on completion of the previous project, Bellevue #1.
Expectations for the new area will solidify once the target depth of 400m at a hole size of 17.5 inches is completed. Seismic data from 2006 and 2007 show potentially large reservoirs at 800m and 1,250m with possible coal pockets in the sandstones at 550m, 1,270m, and in the limestones at 1,800m and 2,100m, and 2,600m. Geographic indications suggest that the Thunderbolt Anticline sandstones are similar in age and type to producing reservoirs in Oman and in the Cooper Basin (Australia). The limestones are similar to producing reservoirs in the USA (such as the Viola and Trenton Formations) and in the Tarim Basin of Xinjiang in North West China.
Empire Energy CEO Malcolm Bendall stated, “We expect to begin immediately drilling and testing potential reservoirs and three coal measures in the Triassic and Permian sandstones plus Permian oil shales before we encounter potential reservoir sands in the Siluro-Devonian and limestone in the Ordovician. Thunderbolt #1 has equally exciting prospects.”
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