In an exclusive chat with Thomas Warner, Lorna Blaisse, chief executive of Helium One PLC, sheds light on the company's current drilling activities at the Tai-3 site in Tanzania.
Blaisse outlines the target depth, the technologies being utilised, and the timeline for upcoming updates.
The conversation also reveals a company on the verge of achieving significant milestones, underpinned by a committed team and state-of-the-art technology.
TW: Lorna, the drilling has now begun at Tai-3. Could you get us up to speed with it?
LB: We successfully spudded the Tai-3 well this morning. It's an exciting time here in Tanzania. I've been with the crew and the team, and everyone is thrilled.
TW: Let's look ahead. Tell us about the target depth and when you expect to achieve it.
LB: Our total depth objective is around 1,100 metres, which will be in the basement, one of our targets. We expect to reach that depth approximately two weeks from today. On the way down, we'll be targeting multiple reservoirs, including the lake bed formation and the Kuru.
TW: What comes next after reaching the target depth?
LB: We'll be monitoring gas measurements using geo log and mud logging services. We also have a portable mass spectrometer for helium detection. Once we reach the target depth, Baker Hughes will run the wireline logs to understand reservoir quality and gas presence. We'll then take gas samples under reservoir conditions using Baker Hughes' RCI tool.
TW: When can we expect news updates from the drilling activities?
LB: A lot of work has gone into this project, and we're committed to keeping the market updated. We expect to reach the basement in about two weeks and then take another two weeks to evaluate the logs and samples. It's a busy period, but we'll keep everyone posted.
