2 Nooitgedacht Wells Set for Remedial Cementing Next Week
D3 Energy has identified deeper water zones that are now sitting above the gas-bearing intervals in two Nooitgedacht wells, restricting gas flow in an extremely low-pressure reservoir. Remedial cementing is expected to begin next week, but restored flow and commercial results remain unconfirmed.
- Deeper water zones identified in NGT245 D and NGT245 E
- Water has risen above gas-producing zones and is restricting flow
- Remedial cementing planned to isolate water from gas intervals
- Both wells intersected gas-bearing zones in the first Nooitgedacht drilling campaign
- Helium and methane concentrations remain to be assessed
Water Rises Above Gas Zones
D3 Energy Limited (ASX:D3E) has found the immediate reason gas flow has weakened at its two Nooitgedacht wells in South Africa: deeper water production zones have been identified beneath the gas-bearing intervals, and the water level has since risen above them. The company said the combination of rising water and extremely low reservoir pressure is inhibiting gas flow at NGT245 D and NGT245 E.
The finding is a setback to the wells’ testing program, but not a report that gas was absent. D3 said both wells intersected gas-bearing zones, with downhole camera logging showing gas bubbling through the water column in NGT245 E before the water level rose far enough to restrict flow.
Cementing Work Planned for Two Wells
The proposed remedy is to isolate the deeper water zones from the gas-producing sections through remedial cementing. Planning is under way, with work expected to start next week on both wells. The stated objective is to restore gas flow to levels seen during drilling, although the announcement provides no forecast flow rate, cost estimate or assurance that the intervention will succeed.
That distinction matters. The current release confirms the geological presence of gas, while leaving the more consequential questions - sustained flow, composition and commercial deliverability - unanswered. The wells are being used to assess reservoir performance and gather additional data on helium and methane concentrations in faulting and associated fractures within the Ventersdorp and Witwatersrand formations.
Nooitgedacht Sits Outside Initial Production Area
Nooitgedacht is located within D3’s 100%-owned ER315 permit in the Free State, about 40 kilometres from the company’s Production Right application area. D3 said ER315 forms part of a 479,409-acre South African land position, while its Production Right application covering PR016 remains under assessment by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa.
The company also points to the broader Virginia Fault structural corridor, where ER315 and PR016 host independently verified helium concentrations of up to 8% and certified reserves and contingent resources. Those assets provide the setting for the drilling campaign, but the Nooitgedacht wells still need to demonstrate that gas can be separated from the water problem and produced at a meaningful rate.
Bottom Line?
The next value-defining evidence will come after cementing: whether water can be isolated and stable gas flow, pressure data and composition can be demonstrated from both wells.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the cementing program successfully isolate the deeper water zones without damaging the gas-producing intervals?
- What sustained flow rates and reservoir pressures will NGT245 D and NGT245 E deliver after remediation?
- What helium and methane concentrations will the wells reveal, and will those results support commercial development?
