Helium One Global, the primary helium explorer in Tanzania with a 50% working interest in the Galactica-Pegasus helium development project in Colorado, USA ("the Galactica Project"), provides an update following the Blue Star Helium (ASX: BNL) ("Blue Star") announcement issued today regarding the Galactica Project.
Highlights
Jackson-27 flowed naturally during drilling and at Total Depth ("TD")
Flow rate since TD has increased to over 320 thousand cubic feet per day ("Mcfd")
Projected stabilised flow rates are 350 Mcfd to 450 Mcfd, constrained to optimise production, with a maximum potential rate of 550 Mcfd
Early samples return helium concentration of up to 0.41% (air-corrected) and 98.31% CO2
Details
The Jackson-27 well reached TD at 1,183 feet (361m) within the Upper Lyons Formation, encountering the Lyons Sandstone Formation at 1,123 feet (342m). As expected, water was not encountered during drilling of the Lyons Formation with wireline logs confirming the penetrated Lyons Sandstone Formation to be high-quality and gas saturated.
Flow testing since TD has revealed increasing natural flow rates, reaching approximately 320 Mcfd to-date. Strong pressure build-up post-testing indicates high permeability and good reservoir communication. Based on previous engineering studies and observed flow rates, the projected stabilised flow rates constrained for production optimisation are expected to be between 350 Mcfd and 450 Mcfd, with a maximum of 550 Mcfd.
Initial laboratory analysis of gas samples from Jackson-27 showed a helium concentration up to 0.41% (air corrected) and 98.31% CO2 (and 1.27% nitrogen). The well has tested the far eastern extent of the Galactica project area, and understanding the flow potential and reservoir gas composition in this part of the field is key to defining the helium-CO2 development going forward.
Galactica/Pegasus Development
The Galactica project forms part of the broader Galactica/Pegasus development, discovered by Blue Star in 2022. This large-scale project offers multiple potential product streams. Blue Star is advancing the Galactica project in joint venture with Helium One Global Ltd.
Blue Star previously released results of an independent engineering analysis of wells in the Galactica-Pegasus project and this analysis established maximum stabilised rates and drawdown for development planning and economic modelling.
The analysis integrated results from the State-16 well with test data from the JXSN-1, JXSN-2, JXSN-3, and JXSN-4 discovery wells and compared it to public information from the adjacent Red Rocks development.
The study concluded:
o Calculated permeabilities in the JXSN discovery wells and State-16 well range from 300 millidarcies ("mD") to 750 mD
o This permeability range suggests initial flow rates at 6 pounds per square inch absolute ("psia") wellhead pressure of 334 Mcfd to 780 Mcfd
o The State-16 well showed a calculated permeability of 405 mD in the Upper Lyons Sandstone Formation, and stabilised initial flow rates constrained for production optimisation would be 250 Mcfd to 350 Mcfd with a maximum of 441 Mcfd
Development planning includes considering vacuum compression ranging from 11 psia (-1 pounds per square inch gauge ("psig")) to 6 psia (-6 psig) wellhead pressure which provides the ranges above.
The Jackson-27 well has shown a natural flow rate of approximately 320 Mcfd which compares favourably to the State-16 well which showed a sustained natural flow rate of 150 Mcfd.
Given the higher natural flow at Jackson-27, due to greater permeability in the high-quality Upper Lyons Sandstone Formation, and the previous independent engineering study, projected potential stabilised flow rates, constrained for production optimisation, are expected to be 350 Mcfd to 450 Mcfd with a maximum potential rate of 550 Mcfd.