据钻机地带9月8日消息，澳大利亚矿产资源有限公司(MRL)近日透露，最近的钻井活动使得澳大利亚珀斯盆地陆上Lockyer Deep 1项目在勘探许可证EP368范围内获得了“重大”天然气发现。
MRL介绍称，7月下旬，Lockyer Deep 1井开始钻探，成功勘探至13000英尺的深度，在Kingia砂岩获得了一个重要的天然气发现，这是该井的主要目标。该公司强调，这一进展代表着该公司在寻找和利用天然气取代柴油的努力中“向前迈出了积极的一步”，为自己和其他西澳大利亚州的采矿业务提供动力。
MRL董事总经理Chris Ellison在一份公司声明中表示:“随着我们业务的持续增长，我们将继续致力于寻找天然气以及太阳能和风能等可再生能源的机会，以为我们的运营提供动力。”
“这是我们天然气勘探工作中令人兴奋的一步。目前，最终深度已经超过4000米(13000英尺)，电缆测井程序即将完成。测井程序提供的积极支持数据将用于套管生产测试。计划在今年晚些时候进行的地震勘测将有助于选择Lockyer Deep勘探区的未来钻井位置。”
Norwest Energy董事总经理Iain Smith表示:“Norwest Energy董事会很高兴地报告了这一出色的成果，我们预计这将为公司带来真正的变革。”Norwest Energy与MRL的全资子公司能源资源有限公司(Energy Resources Limited)是EP368项目的合资伙伴。
“Lockyer Deep 1的成功为一个重要的常规天然气发现揭开了序幕。我们非常期待电缆测试项目的结果，并期待在结果公布后向股东更新前瞻性评估计划。”
Smith继续说道:“我们感谢运营商能源资源有限公司、Aztech Well Construction、Ensign Drilling和其他第三方服务提供商提供了‘教科书式’的作业表现，该井在30天内就钻到了总深度。”
能源资源有限公司是其(80%)和Norwest Energy NL(20%)的EP368合资企业的运营商。
MRL的网站强调，能源资源有限公司是西澳大利亚州珀斯盆地天然气勘探许可的最大持有者。该公司网站还指出，随着MRL的持续增长，能源资源有限公司正在帮助指导其业务过渡到更可持续的燃料来源，并支持其到2050年实现净零排放的目标。
MRL将自己描述为一家创新和领先的矿业服务公司，在多个大宗商品领域拥有不断增长的世界级矿业业务组合。该业务是由国际破碎服务公司(现CSI矿业服务公司)、PIHA和国际加工矿产公司(PMI)三家公司合并而成的。
Norwest Energy是一家在ASX上市的澳大利亚石油和天然气勘探公司，其网站显示，该公司专注于勘探和开发西澳大利亚州珀斯盆地的石油资源。该公司总部位于珀斯，拥有广泛的勘探许可证投资组合，包括陆上和近岸，这是该公司的亮点。
裘寅 编译自 钻机地带
原文如下：
Significant align="justify"> Mineral Resources Limited (MRL) has revealed that recent drilling activity has led to a “significant” gas discovery at the Lockyer Deep 1 project in the align="justify"> Drilling commenced at the Lockyer Deep 1 well location in late July and successful exploration to a depth of over 13,000 feet identified a significant gas find in the Kingia Sandstone, the primary objective of the well, MRL outlined. The company highlighted that the development represented a “positive step forward” in its efforts to locate and utilize natural gas to replace diesel fuel in powering its own and other Western Australian mining operations.
“As our business continues to grow, we remain committed to pursuing opportunities for natural gas to power our operations, alongside renewable energy sources such as solar and wind,” MRL Managing Director Chris Ellison said in a company statement.
“This is an exciting step forward in our gas exploration efforts. Now the final depth of over 4,000 meters [13,000 feet] has been achieved, a wireline logging program will be completed. Positive supporting data from the logging program will result in the well being cased for production testing. A seismic survey planned for later this year will assist in selecting future drilling locations align="justify"> Iain Smith, the managing director for Norwest Energy, a joint venture partner in EP368 alongside MRL’s wholly owned subsidiary Energy Resources Limited, said, “the board of Norwest Energy is delighted to report align="justify"> “The success of Lockyer Deep 1 has uncovered a significant conventional gas discovery. We eagerly anticipate the results of the wireline testing program and look forward to updating shareholders align="justify"> “Our thanks go to operator Energy Resources Limited, Aztech Well Construction, the Ensign Drilling crew and other third party service providers for a 'textbook' operational performance, with the well having been drilled to total depth in under 30 days of operations,” Smith went align="justify"> Energy Resources Limited is the operator of the EP368 Joint Venture between ERL (80 percent) and Norwest Energy NL (20 percent).
MRL’s website highlights that Energy Resources Limited is Western Australia’s largest holder of gas exploration permits in the Perth Basin. The company’s site also notes that, as MRL continues to grow, Energy Resources Limited is helping to guide its business transition to more sustainable fuel sources and supporting its goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
MRL describes itself as an innovative and leading mining services company, with a growing world-class portfolio of mining operations across multiple commodities. The business was borne out of the amalgamation of three companies – Crushing Services International (now CSI Mining Services), PIHA and Process Minerals International (PMI).
Norwest Energy is an ASX listed Australian oil and gas exploration company focused on exploring and developing the petroleum resources of the Perth Basin, Western Australia, according to its website. Headquartered in Perth, the business holds interests in an extensive portfolio of exploration permits, both onshore and nearshore, its site highlights.