- 01Judith-2 EP resubmitted to NOPSEMA.
- 02Long-lead gear secured; Valaris-107 terms near.
- 03Judith East & Longtom Deeps targeted.
- 04Permit extended to Aug 2029; drill by Aug 2027.
Emperor Energy (ASX: EMP) has moved its Judith-2 appraisal well in the offshore Gippsland Basin closer to execution by resubmitting a revised Environmental Plan to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA).
The project sits in Emperor’s 100%-owned VIC/P47 offshore permit and is aimed at appraising the Judith gas field.
In practical terms, Judith-2 is intended to test and flow gas from a known accumulation and gather the data needed to assess whether it can support a commercial development, rather than simply proving that gas is present.
Emperor said the revised Environmental Plan addresses all issues raised in an earlier NOPSEMA information request, and expects approval in the short term.
Alongside the approval process, Emperor has continued work on long-lead equipment and service procurement, and the company said Judith-2 remains planned for late Q1 CY27.
Judith Field Background
Emperor holds 100% of VIC/P47, and in March the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authorityapproved a 24-month extension to the permit’s primary term.
That extension pushed the maximum timeframe to drill Judith-2 out to August 2027 and extended the overall permit term to August 2029.
The company has reported a 166 BCF 2C contingent recoverable gas resource for the Judith Gas Field, along with a 1,859 BCF P50 prospective recoverable gas resource across Judith and the underlying Longtom gas sands.
In its March capital raising announcement, Emperor said Judith-2 is designed to appraise the previously discovered Judith East contingent resource and the deeper Longtom Deeps upside through flow testing.
Emperor had previously firmed up an arrangement with APA Group covering gas processing plant and pipeline design for a potential future Judith development concept.
Contracts and Timing
On the operational side, Emperor said long lead-time drilling equipment has already been secured, including the surface wellhead, surface conductor casing, and multiple casing strings.
The company also said tenders have been released for drilling support services including drilling consumables, mudlogging, directional drilling, wireline logging, and logging while drilling (LWD).
Tenders for cementing and shore-based services are also close to being released, and a contractor has been selected for a site geophysical survey planned for August.
On the rig front, draft drilling contract terms with Valaris have progressed and negotiations are in the final stages for the Valaris-107 jack-up rig, with rig availability confirmed for March 2027.
Execution Path Clearer, Not Complete
Today’s update shows Emperor has moved Judith-2 forward on the two fronts that matter most before drilling: environmental approval work and practical drilling preparation.
However, the project still carries the usual offshore appraisal risks around regulatory sign-off, final rig contracting, funding sufficiency, and whether the well’s flow test supports commercial gas rates.
The next meaningful milestones are NOPSEMA’s response to the revised plan, completion of the Valaris-107 contract, the August site survey and any further clarity on how the remaining appraisal program is funded.
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