The Walyering discovery and revisiting the Jurassic hydrocarbon potential of the northern Perth Basin
Matthew Wright A * , Anthony Cortis B , Aisling Sloan A and Andrew Farley AA
B
Matthew Wright has over 17 years of oil and gas experience and graduated from Curtin University (Perth) with a BSc in Geology. He spent the first 12 years working with Baker Hughes, supporting Australia and Asia Pacific operations as a Log Analyst and Geosteering Supervisor while being involved in advancements in both logging while drilling and mudlogging technologies. Matthew joined Strike Energy in early 2020 as Senior Geologist just prior to the start of the West Erregulla appraisal campaign; he is responsible for operations and formation evaluation. |
Anthony (Tony) Cortis is a Professional Geologist (APEGA) and Principal in Igesi Consulting Inc. based in Canada. Tony has worked closely with Strike Energy Ltd since 2017 and has been part of teams that evaluate both deep coals in the Cooper Basin and the various plays in the North Perth Basin. He holds a BSc in Geology from Laurentian University and an MSc in Geology from the University of Manitoba. His company provides integrated upstream and venture management consulting to clients. Previously, he worked for 28 years at both Shell Canada and Royal Dutch Shell in various roles in Canada and worldwide. |
Aisling Sloan holds an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience with Distinction from the University of Aberdeen (2019) and a BSc with honours from The University of Western Australia (2018). Since joining Strike as a Geologist in early 2022, Aisling has been actively involved with prospect evaluation, well planning, and operations geology across Perth Basin assets. Prior to joining Strike, Aisling worked across multiple basins for Beach Energy. She is a member of PESA. |
Andrew Farley graduated from the University of Newcastle (Australia) in 2002 with a BSc in Geology. He has over 20 years of experience working with onshore oil and gas operators on exploration and development projects in all five mainland states of Australia. Prior to joining Strike Energy in 2012, Andrew worked with AGL Energy in Sydney. Andrew has held a number of technical positions at Strike Energy, becoming Genereal Manager Subsurface and Exploration in 2023. Andrew led the subsurface team during the design and execution of the company’s Exploration and Development projects, most notably the West Erregulla, South Erregulla and Walyering fields in the Perth Basin. Andrew is a member of SPE, PESA, SEAPEX and the Australian Geothermal Association. |
Abstract
The success of the Walyering field underscores the potential for commercial discoveries within the overlooked Jurassic sequence of the northern Perth Basin. The 3000–4000 m depth interval within this sequence continues to demonstrate permeability conducive to commercial flow rates, benefiting from proximity to the major hydrocarbon source depocentre of the Dandaragan Trough. Following exploration success at Walyering-5 in 2021, there has been renewed interest in the Cattamarra Coal Measures, leading to acquisition of multiple new 3D seismic surveys and the reprocessing of existing 2D data. This paper revisits the highly prospective Jurassic fairway trend from Ocean Hill to Walyering, providing valuable insights that will guide Strike Energy’s near-term exploration program. The Jurassic wells offer significant advantages over deeper Permian wells, including shallower drilling depths (3000+ m versus 4000+ m), reduced well costs (~>AU$10,000,000), and minimal gas impurities (typically less than 1% CO2). Additionally, the presence of liquid hydrocarbon ranging >8 bbls/MMscf and the low complexity of required facilities enable a swift transition from final investment decision to first gas, potentially within 12 months. This paper highlights the strategic importance of the Jurassic sequence in the northern Perth Basin and its role in future exploration efforts, driven by the successes at Walyering and the advantages of developing these Jurassic targets.
Keywords: Cattamarra Coal Measures, CCM, Coomallo Trough, exploration, Jurassic, Ocean Hill, Perth Basin, Walyering.
Matthew Wright has over 17 years of oil and gas experience and graduated from Curtin University (Perth) with a BSc in Geology. He spent the first 12 years working with Baker Hughes, supporting Australia and Asia Pacific operations as a Log Analyst and Geosteering Supervisor while being involved in advancements in both logging while drilling and mudlogging technologies. Matthew joined Strike Energy in early 2020 as Senior Geologist just prior to the start of the West Erregulla appraisal campaign; he is responsible for operations and formation evaluation. |
Anthony (Tony) Cortis is a Professional Geologist (APEGA) and Principal in Igesi Consulting Inc. based in Canada. Tony has worked closely with Strike Energy Ltd since 2017 and has been part of teams that evaluate both deep coals in the Cooper Basin and the various plays in the North Perth Basin. He holds a BSc in Geology from Laurentian University and an MSc in Geology from the University of Manitoba. His company provides integrated upstream and venture management consulting to clients. Previously, he worked for 28 years at both Shell Canada and Royal Dutch Shell in various roles in Canada and worldwide. |
Aisling Sloan holds an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience with Distinction from the University of Aberdeen (2019) and a BSc with honours from The University of Western Australia (2018). Since joining Strike as a Geologist in early 2022, Aisling has been actively involved with prospect evaluation, well planning, and operations geology across Perth Basin assets. Prior to joining Strike, Aisling worked across multiple basins for Beach Energy. She is a member of PESA. |
Andrew Farley graduated from the University of Newcastle (Australia) in 2002 with a BSc in Geology. He has over 20 years of experience working with onshore oil and gas operators on exploration and development projects in all five mainland states of Australia. Prior to joining Strike Energy in 2012, Andrew worked with AGL Energy in Sydney. Andrew has held a number of technical positions at Strike Energy, becoming Genereal Manager Subsurface and Exploration in 2023. Andrew led the subsurface team during the design and execution of the company’s Exploration and Development projects, most notably the West Erregulla, South Erregulla and Walyering fields in the Perth Basin. Andrew is a member of SPE, PESA, SEAPEX and the Australian Geothermal Association. |
