Fourth Annual Report for GR366 EL 29237 and EL 29239 for the year 4 January 2017 to 3 January 2018

Abstract

Mineral Exploration Licences (EL) 29239 and 29237 (Figure 1) were granted to Ebony Coal Ltd (Ebony) on January 4, 2013 for a term of 6 years. Ebony Coal Ltd changed name to Ebony Energy Limited (Ebony) on 11 December 2014 and subsequently transferred to Pedirka Basin Pty Ltd (a fully owned subsidiary of Ebony Energy Limited) on 30 April 2015. On 17 January 2017, the company was advised by the Department of Primary Industry and Resources of acceptance of the reduction in the tenement region. Following on from the success of borehole DH-1R completed towards the end of 2014, the plan for Y-4 originally called for a follow up drill program and hydrological studies to define JORC coal resources and provide data on the nature of water flow within the Purni Formation. However, Y-4 reporting period was another very challenging 12 months with respect to raising new funds to implement the planned exploration program. In order to preserve capital, Ebony restricted Y-4 work activities to desktop studies. The key activities for Y-4 of the license period were target generation, project modelling and an analysis of geological and seismic data that Ebony did not have at the time of the last reporting period. A thorough review the structure and geology of the Pedirka Basin was completed and which forms the body of this report. Of particular interest is to what extent faults might adversely affect the continuity of the Purni Formation coal seams. In a quest to secure seismic data for the historical Simpson Desert 'A' Seismic Survey which includes lines that cross EL 29237 and EL 29239, Ebony contacted Peter Hough from the Energy Resources Division of the Department of State Development for South Australia. Peter Hough was very helpful and provided Ebony with two CDs with all the historical petroleum reports for the Northern Territory that remain on file. These mainly concern the Eromanga and Pedirka Basins. The Northern Territory's records of petroleum and mineral exploration used to be kept in South Australia; this arrangement ended in 1988.