Esso Gippsland Shelf No. 1 Offshore Well Drilling Report

Australia's first offshore well was drilled in the Gippsland Basin, Victoria, from December 1964 to June 1965. The document details the well's drilling operations, geological formations penetrated, and results of production tests. It was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Analyze drilling performance using specific dates (spudded 27th Dec 1964) and depths (total depth 8701 feet).
• Study hydrocarbon shows and production test results, including gas flow rates (e.g., 6.85 MMcf/D) and water/condensate volumes.
• Correlate lithological descriptions like the '369 feet thick sandstone section' with stratigraphic intervals such as the Gippsland Limestone.
• Map the geographic location described as 'sixteen miles off the Ninety Mile Beach' for regional basin analysis.
• Review subsidized operations under the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act as a case study in historical energy policy.

Strengths

• Contains precise numerical data including depths, dates, and flow rates (e.g., 353 feet gas column, 1.63 MMcf/D).
• Provides detailed stratigraphic breakdown (Tertiary to 5378 ft, Upper Cretaceous to 8701 ft).
• Documents a historically significant event: Australia's first offshore discovery well.

Limitations

• Data is static, representing a single well drilled over a six-month period in 1964-65.
• The primary format is descriptive text (PDF/HTML), not structured tabular data for direct analysis.
• Geographic and stratigraphic details are specific to one location, limiting generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Historical drilling report documented by the operating company, Esso Exploration Australia, Inc.

Time Range

Drilling operations from December 27, 1964 to June 5, 1965.

Freshness

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Geography

Gippsland Basin, approximately 16 miles off Ninety Mile Beach, Victoria, Australia.