Offshore staff

MELBOURNE, Australia -- The Sidestep-1 exploration well in exploration permit NT/P66, offshore Northern Territory, has reached planned total depth of 1,828 m (5,997 ft) true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS), according to Nexus Energy. The company's primary target of the Intra Mount Goodwyn sands was intersected at the predicted depth with no indications of hydrocarbons, based on available log data. Nexus will now plug and abandon the well.

The jackup Wilcraft spudded the well on Aug. 22. The objective of the Sidestep-1 well was to evaluate a new play type in the Petrel sub-basin. The prospect was testing a seismic amplitude anomaly identified within the Intra Mount Goodwyn formation close to the Blacktip field where gas was encountered within the same formation identified on a similar seismic anomaly, the company says.

The Sidestep-1 well fulfils Nexus' drilling commitments in exploration permit NT/P66.

08/27/2008