Monumental advances Taranaki workover program at Waihapa H1 well

(WO) — Monumental Energy Corp. has begun perforation operations at the Waihapa H1 well in New Zealand’s onshore Taranaki basin, targeting bypass pay in the Mount Messenger formation following encouraging early results at the nearby Ngaere-1 well. 

The company said operational crews have been mobilized from the Ngaere-1 location to Waihapa H1, where seven perforation intervals of approximately six meters each are planned. Flow testing is expected to begin immediately after perforation operations are completed, with production data to be released following evaluation.

Waihapa H1 was originally drilled in 2008 and previously produced oil from the lower Tikorangi formation at rates exceeding 1,500 bopd. Monumental and its partners—New Zealand Energy Corp. and L&M Energy Ltd.—have identified roughly 60 meters of prospective bypass pay in the Mount Messenger formation, the same producing interval targeted at Ngaere-1 and widely developed in the nearby Cheal oil field.

Following the Waihapa H1 program, the partnership plans to move forward with similar perforation operations at the Ngaere-2 well. Monumental also announced that CEO Michelle DeCecco has stepped down from the role, with board member and Vice President of Corporate Development Max Sali appointed as chief executive officer.