(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
In November 2015, Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s Australian subsidiary, CalEnergy Resources, drilled a test well in Western Australia in what the company called modestly a “significant gas field.”
The test well heralded a potential profit gusher as it confirmed an enormous gas field that is four trillion cubic feet of gas-in-place “significant.”
First the Facts
Exploration permit EP 408 is located approximately 280 kilometers south of Perth, and covers both the Whicher Range and Wonnerup gas fields. These gas fields have long been known, and were first discovered in 1968 and 1971, respectively. The fields are located in ancient sandstone reservoirs nearly four kilometers underground.
The fields contain an estimated four trillion cubic feet gas-in-place, and Berkshire’s share currently stands at approximately 84%. Other partners include Which Range Energy.
Slow But Steady Progress
Peter Youngs, the Managing Director of CalEnergy Resources Group, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, recently updated MazorsEdge on the progress on the development of the gas field.
“We have over 50 years of data from all of the prior activity on the field that we are assimilating and integrating with our well testing results,” Young states. “Parts of our recent well test were encouraging but it has also shown us that we have not yet answered all of the technical issues that might impinge on a commercialization decision and hence the detailed integration work.”
Young anticipates updating stakeholders on the current status of the work and CalEnergy’s next steps towards the end of the second quarter 2017.
So, will 2017 be the year that Berkshire finally gets to profit from the Whicher gas fields? Not likely at the current pace, but 2018 is not so far off.
© 2016 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.