Santos completes Quokka-1 appraisal well on Alaska North Slope
Santos completed the Quokka-1 appraisal well in the Quokka Unit on Alaska’s North Slope, further delineating the high-quality Nanushuk reservoir. Santos operates the unit with a 51% working interest, with Repsol holding the remaining 49%.
The well was spudded on 1 January and drilled to a total depth of 1,459 m, encountering approximately 43 m of net oil pay in the Nanushuk formation at an average porosity of 19%. Following a single-stage fracture stimulation, the well achieved a flow rate of 2,190 bbl/day.
Located approximately 10 km from the Mitquq-1 discovery well drilled in 2020, Quokka-1 confirmed reservoir sand correlations between the two wells. Fluid analyses confirmed the presence of high-quality, light-gravity oil. Santos said the results support the potential for a two-drill-site development with production capacity comparable to Pikka phase 1.
At year-end 2025, Santos reported 2C contingent resources of 177 mmboe for the Quokka Unit. Santos has commenced development planning and initiated key permitting activities, and plans a 3D seismic survey targeting the Nanushuk reservoir during the 2026-2027 winter season.
On Pikka phase 1, Santos said first oil is imminent, with the project mechanically complete and commissioning activities progressing. Fuel gas has been introduced to the plant. At the end of the first quarter of 2026, 24 development wells had been drilled and 20 had been fracked and flowed back. Plateau capacity of 80,000 bbl/day is expected in mid-2026.
