Energy Drilling Australia Mobilizes Schramm Rig to Drill in Cooper Basin

Ausdrill reported Tuesday that its subsidiary Energy Drilling Australia (EDA) will this week mobilize its latest ‘‘weapon’’ -- an $18.5 million (AUD 20 million) high-tech rig that has been heralded as the first of a new generation for the industry.

The Schramm T500XD Telemast is the first of its kind in Australia, and only the second in the world.

Since its arrival from the United States in June, the rig has been commissioned and put through a rigorous audit process in Brisbane to ensure it is ready for Australian conditions. It will now be put to work in the Cooper Basin, drilling for unconventional gas targets.

The Schramm is EDA’s fourth rig, and the most advanced. It is being brought on line to capitalize on an increasing demand for exploration drilling in Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia.

EDA General Manager Simon Mayers said the new rig had already generated considerable interest from operators within the industry.

‘‘For a number of reasons it offers quite significant cost savings for operators. In addition to the fact that no cranes are required to assemble or move it, it is highly mechanized which reduces the number of people required to operate the rig directly, therefore decreasing the safety risk for both operator and contractor. Due to the highly mechanized nature of the rig we have eliminated the need for a derrickman and pipe handling is all automatic, with all operations controlled from within the doghouse.’’

Mayers said the company was pleased that it had been able to keep to a very tight schedule to commission the new rig and have it in the field.

‘‘It arrived on time and it has been mobilized on time.

‘‘In part this is because we had our own people overseeing compliance with Australian standards at the Schramm plant in the US to ensure that when the rig was delivered to us the bulk of the work had already been undertaken.’’

EDA has certainly come a long way since its establishment in 2009 specifically to pursue opportunities in the coal seam gas space by providing drilling services and well servicing into this expanding sector.

The company specializes in providing coal seam gas exploration and production, and is moving into the more conventional oil and gas exploration, across Australia’s key energy regions.

The company has successfully completed drilling programs for some of Australia’s largest energy companies operating in the Galilee, Surat, Cooper Basins and the South Georgina Field, offering both drilling and well servicing for projects at varying stages of completion.

Over the past few years, EDA has witnessed considerable growth, increasing from one rig to a rig fleet that now includes:

  • A Foremost Explorer III-65 drill rig with a depth capability of 4,593 feet (1,400 meters) with 31 man camp
  • Two Schramm TXD 200E drill rigs, each with a depth capability of 7,546 feet (2,300 meters) with 31 man camp
  • Two C-Tech Rapid Service Rigs to be utilized for general well servicing & completions; and
  • A C-Tech truck mounted Coiled Tubing Unit to be utilized for well servicing operations

The new Schramm T500XD is specifically designed for horizontal and directional drilling to a total depth of 14,763 feet (4,500 meters) or more.

Looking ahead, EDA believes that apart from CSG exploration and production the unconventional deeper shale oil and gas sectors are assured of a long term sustainable growth.

Over the past year the company has carried out contracts with AGL, Strike, Bridgeport, Senex and Statoil. The Statoil program, just concluded with one of the Schramm 200s in the Northern Territory’s South Georgina Field, was a coup for EDA as a company.

‘‘We completed the program safely within time and budget. The experience successfully contracting for one of the largest oil & gas operators in the world was something the company as a whole is proud of.

‘‘With the new rig up and running, we now have the capacity to really build the business at a time when we are seeing growing demand from the industry,’’ Mayers said.

About Ausdrill

Ausdrill is a diversified mining services company. Since its formation in Kalgoorlie in 1987, Ausdrill has grown significantly and now has operations across Australia, Africa and the United Kingdom. Ausdrill is a leader in providing services in contract mining, grade control, drill & blast, exploration, mineral analysis, procurement & logistics and manufacturing. The Ausdrill Group employs over 4,500 staff worldwide.

Energy Drilling Australia (EDA) is a specialist shallow oil and gas drilling contractor and part of the Ausdrill Group. EDA is Ausdrill’s dedicated oil and gas drilling business with a fleet of the latest rigs and equipment designed and built to meet the needs of the Australian energy sector. With a strong focus on safety, productivity and the environment, we understand our customers’ requirements perfectly --- to tap their resources safely, swiftly, productively and economically whilst minimising any impact on local communities and the environment.



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