Georgina Energy (GEX) has confirmed that pre-drill site works are progressing at the Hussar EP513 prospect in Western Australia, with civil engineering contractors currently completing water well drilling, conductor pipe drilling and broader site preparation ahead of the planned Q3 2026 drilling campaign.
The company said mobilisation of the contracted Ensign 970 drill rig remains on schedule, with a September spud date targeted for the Hussar well.
Work underway includes drilling a water supply well for drilling fluids and camp use, constructing the Turkey's Nest water storage pond, preparing the drilling sump and excavating the cellar where the conductor pipe and wellhead will be installed. Once the water well is completed, the rig will move to the centre of the drilling pad to set the 20-inch conductor pipe.
Hussar is located within Exploration Permit 513 in the Officer Basin and is targeting subsalt reservoir formations including the Townsend Formation and fractured Neoproterozoic basement rocks. The planned well is expected to reach a total depth of about 3,200 metres, with the potential for extension depending on reservoir quality and gas shows encountered during drilling.
The prospect also contains secondary targets in the overlying Kanpa and Hussar formations, which previous drilling identified as having encouraging porosity and hydrocarbon indications but which have not yet been adequately tested.
An independent geological report dated 1 February 2026 estimated net attributable unrisked 2U prospective resources of 283 billion cubic feet of helium, 315 billion cubic feet of hydrogen and 2.93 trillion cubic feet of hydrocarbon gas.
“The progress being made on site is an important step mobilisation of the Ensign 970 drill rig and we remain on track for the planned September spud date of this exciting prospect,” said Georgina Energy’s chief executive officer Anthony Hamilton.
“Hussar is a significant subsalt helium, hydrogen and hydrocarbon prospect, and we look forward to providing further updates as preparations advance.”
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The latest update suggests Georgina is steadily de-risking the operational side of the Hussar campaign. Water supply, conductor installation and pad preparation are all practical milestones that need to be completed before drilling can begin, so continued progress here supports confidence in the planned Q3 programme. Georgina is well on its way to the first test of one of Australia's largest untested subsalt helium and hydrogen prospects.