Santos begins appraisal drilling in Australia’s Beetaloo Basin
Santos began drilling its first appraisal well in the Beetaloo Basin on 4 September 2026, following approval of its Environmental Management Plan by the Northern Territory Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment in May 2026.
Territory-based contractor Exact Contracting completed construction of the well pad, access tracks and key road intersection upgrades ahead of the spud. The well is the first in an appraisal campaign Santos is undertaking in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, part of the greater McArthur Basin, which is estimated to contain more than 430 tcf of undiscovered gas-in-place on a basin-wide P50 basis.
The campaign follows Santos’ commissioning of the Barossa gas project, which supplies the Darwin LNG plant. Santos previously drilled and flow-tested wells in exploration permit EP161 in the Beetaloo Basin.
