HyTerra engages Murfin Drilling to spearhead ambitious Kansas exploration program

HyTerra (ASX: HYT) has reached a key milestone at its Nemaha project in Kansas with the signing of an experienced rig contractor to undertake its planned drilling program.

Midwest USA rig operator Murfin Drilling Company – widely recognised as the largest drilling and well services contractor in Kansas – has been contracted to drill several wells for HyTerra’s wholly-owned subsidiary HYT Operating LLC.

Murfin is scheduled to commence drilling operations on or before 16 September 2024.

Ready to drill

HyTerra has already obtained permits and is finalising drilling plans for the Sue Duroche 3 and Blythe 13-20 wells.

The company is currently in the process of securing additional approvals for other hydrogen and helium prospects and assessing vendor bids for the main operational services to update well cost estimates.

“The historical hydrogen and helium occurrences only tested the upper parts of the prognosed hydrogen and helium system,” HyTerra executive director and chief technical officer Avon McIntyre said.

“Therefore, we need to drill deeper into the rocks below, which we predict are the primary targets with better geological properties for hydrogen and helium.”

“The countdown to drilling and unlocking the potential of the Nemaha Project has now begun.”

Planned follow-ups

The two permitted sites are located adjacent to historic wells with hydrogen and helium occurrences.

Blythe 13-20 is intended to confirm the hydrogen occurrence observed in the Scott 1 (1982) well in Morris County and to drill significantly deeper into untested formations, including fractured Precambrian Basement rocks.

Among the targets being followed up by HyTerra is the pre-Pennsylvanian sedimentary section, within which multiple reservoir and seal rocks are present and are proven to be effective traps across central and southern USA.

The company believes the fractured basement section in this well may also be prospective for helium.

The Sue Duroche 3 well is following up on historic hydrogen and helium occurrences observed in the 2009 Sue Duroche 2 well and aims to test the deeper potential of the fractured Precambrian Basement at this location.