Santos spuds Yoorn-1 well

Australian E&P company Santos is lining up a wet gas exploration well, Yoorn-1, on the perimeter of its Cerberus licence area in Western Australia's Carnavon Basin, Bounty Oil & Gas said June 9.

Yoorn-1 is aimed at two target reservoirs that share geological similarities with prospects identified by Bounty previously. Drilling will take place in the fourth quarter.

Bounty Oil & Gas operates neighbouring licences in the Cerberus licence area, in partnership with Coastal Oil.  It has received approval to extend three permit areas: EP 490, 491 and TP 27, through until 2026. The permit from Western Australia's Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is subject to commitment work.

The consortium's programme includes four prospects across the three approved licences: Lincoln, Expanse, Ulysses and Belfon. A further five prospects, including Yoorn 1, lie elsewhere in the Cerberus project area.