Tamboran Resources begins drilling in Beetaloo Basin

Tamboran Resources has begun drilling in the Beetaloo Basin, marking the start of the biggest single operation at the gas field to date.

Tamboran Resources Chief Executive Joel Riddle. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Tamboran Resources has begun drilling in the Beetaloo Basin, marking the start of the biggest single operation at the gas field to date.

The US gas company has started drilling two wells as part of its Shenandoah South Pilot Project, each expected to take 30 days and reach more than 3km deep.

A modern “Liberty frac fleet” – technology aimed at stimulating gas flow – recently arrived in the Top End from the US.

Tamboran said it expected the new fleet to deliver stronger results than previously possible.

“We are excited to commence our 2024 Beetaloo Basin drilling program, which includes the longest horizontal wells drilled in the Beetaloo Basin to date,” chief executive Joel Riddle told investors.

“With up to 120 simulation stages to be completed across the two wells, this will be the largest single campaign in the basin to date.

“The Liberty frac fleet is capable of materially increasing the stimulation intensity and completing more stages per day compared to the legacy stimulation fleets in Australia.”

H&P super-spec FlexRig on location at the SS2 well pad, as drilling begins on Tamboran Resources Shenandoah South Pilot Project in the Beetaloo Basin.

Tamboran partnered with its largest shareholders, Helmerich & Payne and Liberty, to deliver the fleet.

Initial flow test results from each well are expected early next year.

Once testing is complete both wells will stop production until Tamboran’s proposed Shenandoah South project gets underway – expected to be in the first half of 2026 pending final approvals.

In April Tamboran signed a 15 year deal with the NT government to deliver 40 terajoules of gas a day for the Territory’s energy needs.

Frack Free NT called on the federal government to use expanded water trigger laws to assess all fracking projects in the Beetaloo.

“The Northern Territory’s federal representatives Marion Scrymgour and Malarndirri McCarthy promised their constituents they would expand and use the water trigger to help protect communities from fracking. They have broken this promise,” spokesperson Alex Broers said.

“Territorians are profoundly disappointed that the Albanese government has not used the law it created for its designed purpose.

“The federal government will be held partly to blame for whatever harm now comes to the aquifers, waterways, and environments where this fracking pilot is underway because it failed to do the bare minimum and call this project in.”

Greens Enviornment Spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said allowing fracking in the Beetaloo without water protections defied the wishes of the community and traditional owners.

“The Environment Minister has one job - to protect the environment,” she said.

“Minister Plibersek has either been asleep at the wheel, or she has fundamentally failed her key task with Tamboran now starting to drill for gas in the Beetaloo Basin without any environmental water assessment.”