D3 Energy Spuds Second Nooitgedacht Well in South Africa after Intersecting Gas

D3 Energy (ASX: D3E) has spudded the second well in a two-well program at Nooitgedacht in South Africa’s Free State after the first well intersected its target gas zone and flowed gas to surface.

NGT245 E reached a total depth of 363m on time and budget without a safety incident before the rig moved to the second location and logging began.

The second well, NGT245 D, was spudded on 30 July and had reached 80m with surface casing installed as drilling continued towards the target formations.

The program is designed to assess reservoir deliverability, collect further helium and methane data, and support efforts to expand the reserve base within D3 Energy’s 100%-owned ER315 permit.

First Well Confirms Target

NGT245 E successfully intersected the planned gas-bearing zone and flowed gas to surface before the rig was relocated, with further evaluation and testing scheduled after intermediate casing is installed.

The drill rig will return to complete that work once drilling at NGT245 D has finished, allowing both wells to progress through logging and subsequent testing.

Nooitgedacht is positioned along the Homestead Fault in northern ER315 about 43km north of the Bloemskraal area, where D3 Energy has booked reserves supporting a Production Right application lodged last year.

“The spudding of our second well in short succession highlights the very low-cost efficient nature of drilling these wells and our operations in general,” managing director and chief executive officer David Casey said.

“It is also incredibly pleasing to have successfully intersected the targeted gas-bearing fracture zones as planned and is a very good first step as we look to build upon and extend the Company’s ER315 reserve base."

Second Well to Test Fractures

NGT245 D is located near the previously tested Nooitgedacht Major borehole, and is budgeted to cost approximately A$200,000 to drill and complete.

The two wells target faulting and associated fractures in the Ventersdorp and Witwatersrand formations to assess deliverability and gather additional information on helium and methane concentrations.

If NGT245 D intersects gas, D3 Energy plans to undertake production testing to inform decisions on well interference, spacing, and potential additional Production Right applications to South African authorities.

A two-dimensional seismic program is also scheduled to begin at Nooitgedacht in the coming weeks to improve geological understanding of the area.

Broader Permit Pipeline

D3 Energy holds a 479,409-acre position across the Free State comprising ER315, PR016, Exploration Right Applications ER386, ER391, ER392, and ER393, and Technical Cooperation Permit TCP273.

ER315 has returned independently verified helium concentrations of up to 8%.

PR016, which covers 15% of ER315 and about 9% of D3 Energy’s total exploration right acreage, is being assessed by South Africa’s Petroleum Agency SA as the balance of the land position forms a broader appraisal and development pipeline.

ER386 is contiguous with ER315 within the Virginia Fault structural corridor that hosts D3 Energy’s certified reserves and contingent resources at ER315 and PR016.