At a depth of 1500 meters

Gas discovery in Molln confirmed by test drilling

The ADX drilling rig in Molln.(Bild: picturedesk.com)

The company ADX Energy, which is currently drilling for gas in Molln in Upper Austria, made a discovery at a depth of 1500 meters on Sunday evening. Condensate-rich natural gas deposits were discovered, the Australian company said in a press release.

ADX Vie GmbH - a subsidiary of the Australian-listed exploration company ADX Energy - discovered natural gas deposits during test drilling in Molln (Kirchdorf district) near the Kalkalpen National Park. The condensate-rich natural gas deposit is located at the predicted depth of 1452 to 1567 meters and must now be further surveyed and evaluated before the drilling work is completed, the company announced in a press release on Monday.

As the nature conservation permit for the drilling (Welchau-1), which was opposed by environmentalists, expires on March 31, the necessary tests will be postponed until the fall, the drilling rig will be dismantled in the meantime and the borehole sealed and thus secured.

A new permit would be required for a production well. The Steinalm formation that has now been penetrated is the same gas-bearing zone in which OMV had already discovered and tested condensate-rich gas in 1989 (Molln-1 well). The analysis shows that the gas from Welchau-1 is very similar to the gas tested in Molln-1.

"Historic gas discovery"
ADX CEO Ian Tchacos spoke on Monday of a "historic gas discovery" and a potentially exceptional gas resource that now needs to be developed for the Republic of Austria, its industry and households. "The results to date meet our expectations and confirm the high level of geological and technical expertise of the Vienna ADX team, which is supported by local and international experts," explained Tchacos. The Welchau drilling site was estimated to contain 24 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which corresponds to a total energy of 270 TWh. Austria needs 96 TWh per year.

Environmentalists fight drilling
Environmentalists are fighting the test drilling - Greenpeace, Umweltdachverband, Alpenverein and Naturschutzbund had lodged a complaint against the nature conservation authority's approval with the Upper Austrian Provincial Administrative Court. Following a complaint by the citizens' initiative Pro Natur Steyrtal, a member of ADX's security staff has to answer to the court for coercion and misappropriation of evidence.