D3 Energy Ltd (ASX:D3E, OTCQB:DNRGF) Ltd has recorded a 35% increase in gas flow rates at its RBD03 well, following a recent workover to clear obstructions in the legacy borehole. The company said the well delivered an average flow rate of 201 Mscfd over a seven-day test period, up from 149 Mscfd in the prior test.
The RBD03 well, drilled in 1982, is part of D3 Energy’s multi-well production testing program at the ER315 permit in South Africa’s Free State.
Well location map.
After identifying indications of obstruction during earlier tests, the company performed a clean out on May 7, 2025. While operations were partially limited by an undocumented hole size change, the clean out was sufficient to proceed with retesting.
Flow testing resumed on June 13, 2025 following a pressure build-up period.
Testing results and next steps
Over the first seven days of renewed testing, the well produced a total of 1,396 Mscf of gas.
D3 Energy said testing would continue for another seven days before the well is shut in to assess pressure build-up data.
Expanding into Arckaringa Basin
The good news from South Africa comes just a week after D3E said it would acquire two highly prospective helium and hydrogen exploration permits in South Australia’s Arckaringa Basin.
Covering an area of approximately 80,000 square kilometres, the Arckaringa Basin is among the least explored regions within South Australia's emerging helium and hydrogen corridor. The permits provide D3 Energy with access to a geologically promising area that has seen limited sub-salt drilling activity to date.
The basin shares structural and geological characteristics with the Amadeus Basin, located around 250 kilometres to the north, where several significant gas discoveries have been made. The Mt Kitty-1 well in the Amadeus Basin returned elevated gas concentrations, including 9% helium, 11.5% hydrogen and 13% methane. Similarly, Magee-1, situated northeast of Mt Kitty, intersected 6% helium and 39% methane beneath the Gillen Salt. These wells remain the only sub-salt penetrations in the wider region, highlighting the untapped potential of the Arckaringa Basin.
Read more: D3 Energy secures helium and hydrogen permits in South Australia's Arckaringa Basin