On 23 January, Linc announced that two separately commissioned and independent reports from DeGolyer and MacNaughton (D&M) and Gustavson confirmed the resource potential of the three formations of the Arckaringa Basin (the Stuart Range, Boorthanna and Pre-Permian).

• Gustavson estimated the unrisked prospective resources for unconventional reservoirs in the Arckaringa Basin to be 233 billion barrels of oil equivalent (233 BBOE).

• D&M estimated the resources to be 103 billion barrels oil equivalent (103 BBOE).

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The analyses indicate that the Stuart Range formation and the underlying Boorthanna and Pre-Permian formations are rich in oil and gas-prone kerogen that may form the basis of a new liquids-rich shale play.

Linc said that the conclusions presented by D&M and Gustavson are consistent its view that formations within the Arckaringa Basin have excellent resource play potential with total organic carbon (TOC) levels, permeability, porosity and thickness that compare favorably to prolific US unconventional liquids plays such as the Bakken and Eagle Ford.

Source: Linc Energy. Click to enlarge.

The two firms dealt with the unconventional resources of the three formations within the Arckaringa Basin in different ways. Gustavson considered the data gathered to date and assigned the prospective resources in all three formations to the “oil generation window” of thermal maturity but acknowledged the potential for gas in the deeper parts of the basin.

Gustavson also identified the potential for conventional hydrocarbon resources while working with the data presented. The Gustavson report includes prospective resource estimates for a portion of the deeper parts of the Arckaringa basin. These estimates provide strong encouragement that the balance of the basin may also be prospective for conventional hydrocarbon deposits and suggests that additional work on conventional resource potential is justified.

D&M assigned gas-liquids ratios to the various depth intervals in each formation resulting in estimation of prospective resources of oil in the shallower depths and gas in the greater depths. D&M was also commissioned to provide a risked estimate of prospective resources by applying a probability of geologic success.

Linc Energy Petroleum licences cover the majority of the Arckaringa Basin, amounting to more than 16 million contiguous acres throughout the basin.