Perth Basin Exploration

The northern Perth Basin is the heartland of oil and gas production in the area, with a total of 12 commercial fields discovered since the initial discovery of the Yardarino Gasfield in 1964.

This northern area of the Basin has excellent source and reservoir development and has production ranging from deep Early Permian reservoirs through to the shallower Early Cretaceous reservoirs.

Onshore

Current onshore exploration in the Perth Basin remains focused on the traditional reservoirs of the Dongara and Wagina Sandstones, however the completion of a major 3D seismic program in 2005—the Denison 3D survey—is providing a basis for ongoing exploration and development drilling.

ARC has an active drilling program in the onshore northern Perth Basin and has drilled over 30 wells in the last three years.

With ARC’s major infrastructure ownership in the area, any drilling success is immediately rewarded, as discoveries can be rapidly brought online.

Offshore

Recent exploration drilling in the offshore Perth Basin has resulted in both gas and oil discoveries at the Frankland and Dunsborough prospects respectively, reinforcing the potential of this area for future commercial developments to complement the producing Cliff Head Oilfield.

ARC considers that a gas development at Frankland could be very profitable in the current gas market climate in Western Australia and the Dunsborough oil discovery is potentially as large as Cliff Head.

ARC continues to explore the area’s considerable additional potential including the acquisition of 3D seismic surveys to fully define targets.