D3 Energy (ASX:D3E) has commenced drilling at its Nooitgedacht area within the ER315 permit in South Africa’s Free State Province.
The company spudded the NGT245 E well, the first of two planned wells, located approximately 43km north of the Bloemskraal area where D3 Energy has already booked reserves.
The program targets the Witwatersrand Formation along the Homestead Fault to assess reservoir deliverability and collect data on helium and methane concentrations.
The wells are situated near the Nooitgedacht Major historical borehole, which flowed at an average rate of 95 thousand standard cubic feet per day during production testing in January 2025, with helium concentrations of 5.60% and methane at 83.20%.
Managing Director David Casey says the program represents another step forward in the company’s appraisal of ER315.
“The spudding of our first well at Nooitgedacht is another step forward in our methodical appraisal of ER315 as we look to build upon and extend the company’s ER315 reserve base some 40km to the north, all the while underpinning the conversion of existing exploration right areas to production rights,” Casey says.
NGT245 E is budgeted to cost $200,000 to drill and complete. Upon intersecting gas, the well will undergo production testing to inform well spacing, well interference, and future production right applications.
D3 Energy holds an estimated 194,000-hectare land position across the Free State Province comprising ER315, PR016, and several exploration right applications.
The initial production right application area covers 15% of ER315 and approximately 9% of D3 Energy’s total exploration right acreage.
D3 Energy is a helium and natural gas explorer focused on its assets in South Africa.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
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