Strata-X To Start Botswana CBM Drilling
Strata-X, the Australia and Toronto-listed coalbed methane (CBM) explorer operating in Botswana, says it has received environmental approval there for its drilling programme for up to 20 CBM wells.
The environmental management plan covers the 273,000 acre 'Serowe' area (see map below); it says drilling is on track to start late January 2019 (banner photo shows site preparation, courtesy of Strata-X).
The company holds 1.173 million acres in total (4,784 km2) over the entire Serowe CSG Project, which is 100%-owned by Strata-X, with a certified "prospective resource" base of 3.3 trillion ft3. It has appointed Adam Scott, a CBM expert who previously worked for Australian independents Arrow and Origin, to direct its first two test wells programme and is now finalising contracts to drill them.
Strata-X's most recent presentation to investors showed how Botswana could benefit from CBM in its energy mix, both for security of energy supply and for decarbonisation. A slide showed how 35% of Botswana's primary energy mix is oil products (some 20,000 b/d), 41% is coal (much mined locally), 19% biomass and 5% electricity imports; thus 40% of its energy is imported petroleum and electricity.
Tlou Energy, also listed in Australia, is more advanced with its CBM drilling in Botswana and in October 2018 re-applied to the government for consent to develop a 100 MW CBM-fuelled power plant – about which it is awaiting official feedback. On November 20, it said test drilling at its Lesedi CBM project was making "excellent progress" and was on budget. Lesedi has certified prospective resources of 3.2 trillion ft3 but – like Strata-X – Tlou now faces the challenge of determining what is commercially recoverable.
Map courtesy of Strata-X