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26 min ago 2 min read
Helium exploration company Helix Exploration has started drilling the Ross 1 well at its Rudyard facility in Montana, US.
Ross 1 is intended to be the fifth production well in the Northern Dome targeting the Souris River and Red River formations.
The Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (MBOGC) granted Helix a drilling permit for the Ross 1 well on 21 October.
This comes after the MBOGC ordered Helix’s Hereford Resources subsidiary to halt production after observing compliance issues at its Darwin 1 and Weil 1 operations, including gas being vented in connection with production from the wells.
Following a hearing held on 15 October, the MBOGC has granted an exemption, subject to standard periodic gas composition review, allowing Helix to vent waste gas.
Since production restarted on 16 October, Helix has filled its first tube trailer and has resumed filling tube trailers on continuous rotation.
The Ross 1 well adds to Helix’s three operating wells at Rudyard – Darwin 1, Weil 1, and Linda 1 – which are providing throughput to the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plant and supplying helium under an .
The company has recently its planned fourth production well, Ollie 1, and is awaiting flow testing and gas analysis.
The Inez 1 well was drilled as the fourth production well, however, it has been . Helix attempted re-entry operations at the Inez well to retrieve downhole equipment that had become lodged in the wellbore during initial perforation operations.
Under its planned production expansion programme, Helix is now reviewing additional helium well locations at Rudyard.
