It is expected that the stimulations will be completed next week and thereafter the isolating plugs that are set in-between each stimulation stage will be drilled out with coiled tubing and the well will be flowed back to sales.

TCEI have also advised Empyrean that the Patterson #150 drilling unit has now completed rig-up and the Easley-1H well was spudded on January 21. The well is scheduled to include a vertical pilot hole from which additional data on the Eagle Ford shale will be gathered.

The well has been designed with a 4,000ft horizontal section and will access both the Austin Chalk horizon, which is locally prevalent within the Sugarkane field and the Eagle Ford shale when it is subsequently stimulated.

The well is located approximately 2km to the north east of the Weston-1H well. The Easley-1H well will be the first new well to be drilled under the farmin agreement with Hilcorp Energy within the Sugarloaf AMI.