Map showing location of the offshore Pavo-1 well, 46 km east of the Dorado field in the Bedout Sub-basin, Western Australia. Image credit: NVentures.Santos (with partner Carnarvon Energy) recently announced the offshore Pavo-1 well as a significant oil discovery. The well, which was drilled on the northern culmination of the Pavo structure, is 46 km east of the Dorado field in the Bedout Sub-basin, Western Australia. Drilled between February and March 2022 in Licence WA-438-P to 4,235m TD, the well encountered 46m of net oil pay in the Lower Triassic primary Caley member reservoir target. Reservoir and prospect geometry are very similar to Dorado, improving chances for several prospects in the Bedout basin. Excellent reservoir quality is interpreted from logs with 19% average porosity, permeabilities in the 100–1,000 mD range and hydrocarbon saturations averaging 80%, similar to those encountered in the Dorado field. The crude is a light, sweet oil (~52 degrees API) with a low gas–oil ratio. A 2C contingent resource for the northern culmination is assessed at 43 MMbo gross, with an estimated 55 MMbo gross in the Pavo South structure (yet to be drilled). Unfortunately, the following well, Apus-1, in a similar play, disappointed. Although reservoir qualities were good, the prospect may have failed due to insufficient charge, or seal failure in the structure.
Santos (with partner Carnarvon Energy) recently announced the Western Australia offshore Pavo-1 well as a significant oil discovery.
