Botala Energy’s Pilot Well Flows Gas 60m Early Lifting Commercial Hope
Key Takeaways
- Pitse Pilot well 3.5B achieved its first continuous gas flare on 20–21 September, sustaining flow for more than 30 hours and producing continuously since — a clear step change from prior intermittent flow periods.
- Gas began flowing with approximately 60m of water still above the coal seam, well ahead of the ~20m threshold Botala had modelled, pointing directly to stronger-than-expected reservoir permeability from the stimulation program.
- The stimulation — a single stage using 2,200 bbl of fluid and 43.5 tons of sand pumped over 1.5 hours — appears to have meaningfully expanded connected coal pathways, evidenced by substantially higher water production than surrounding unstimulated wells.
- Botala has deliberately slowed dewatering to approximately 3–5m per day to protect stimulated reservoir integrity and establish stable, sustainable gas production rather than accelerating toward the coal seam.
- The next key milestone is exceeding the commercial production benchmark of more than 70 gigajoules per day, within a project hosting a prospective resource of 7.1 trillion cubic feet across the broader Serowe CBM Project.
Pitse Pilot well 3.5B achieves continuous gas flow ahead of schedule
Botala Energy has reached a significant technical milestone at its Serowe Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Project in Botswana, with Pitse Pilot well 3.5B achieving its first continuous gas flare and flowing for more than 4 days with a steadily increasing rate.
The standout result is how early gas flow commenced. The water level in the well was still approximately 60m above the coal seam when gas began flowing, well ahead of the ~20m threshold Botala had anticipated. That gap matters because it points directly to a stronger-than-expected reservoir response from the stimulation program.
The combination of earlier-than-expected gas flow and elevated water production provides an encouraging early indication that the stimulation has meaningfully improved gas and water mobility within the coal seam.
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What this milestone tells us about well 3.5B’s performance
Gas flow and what the water level means
Over 20 and 21 September, well 3.5B achieved its first continuous gas flare, sustaining flow for more than 30 hours, and has been producing since. That represents a clear step change from the shorter, intermittent gas flow periods observed previously.
In CBM development, gas is held within coal seams under water pressure. As water is progressively removed (a process called dewatering), reservoir pressure drops and gas releases from the coal and flows toward the well. The earlier gas begins flowing during that dewatering cycle, the more permeable and well-connected the coal seam is proving to be. The fact that 3.5B began flowing with 60m of water still above the coal, rather than the anticipated ~20m, tells you the reservoir is responding well ahead of expectations.
Stimulation program showing its effect
Water production from well 3.5B has been substantially higher than from the surrounding unstimulated wells. That elevated volume is consistent with the stimulation treatment having opened additional natural pathways within the coal seam, increasing the volume of coal connected to the well.
Taken together, higher water production and earlier-than-expected gas flow provide encouraging evidence that the stimulation is having its intended effect. For context, the stimulation was conducted as a single stage over 1.5 hours, using 2,200 bbl of fluid and 43.5 tons of sand, pumped at a rate of 24 bbls/min, with stable pressure maintained in the 390–450 range throughout.
Controlled dewatering — protecting what’s been built
With gas now flowing earlier than anticipated, Botala has deliberately reduced the dewatering rate to approximately 3–5m per day. The controlled approach is designed to progressively reduce reservoir pressure while minimising the risk of drawing sand or other material from the stimulated coal pathways into the well.
This is a positive signal of operational discipline. Rather than accelerating dewatering to reach the coal seam as quickly as possible, the priority is to preserve the integrity of the stimulated reservoir and establish stable, sustainable gas production.
CEO Kris Martinick
“This is exactly the kind of news we have been working towards. To see gas flowing this early and the water level still high above the coal, it tells us the well is performing better than we planned, and that the stimulation opened up far more of the Serowe coal seam than we first thought.
“These are encouraging indicators. The important work is to bring the well on carefully and establish what it can deliver on a stable and sustainable basis…”
Coal bed methane 101 — why dewatering comes before gas
CBM is natural gas trapped within coal seams, held in place by the pressure of surrounding groundwater. Before gas can flow, that water pressure must be relieved by pumping water out of the seam. Here is the basic sequence:
- Water saturates the coal seam, holding gas in place under pressure
- Pumping removes water, pressure drops, gas desorbs from the coal
- Gas flows toward the well and is captured at surface
- Earlier gas flow signals better reservoir permeability and stronger commercial potential
The significance of 3.5B’s result follows directly from this process. Gas flowing while 60m of water remains above the coal seam means the dewatering cycle is unlocking gas far earlier than modelled — a direct indicator of how well-connected and permeable the stimulated coal has become.
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The path to commercial production and the broader Serowe opportunity
The next key milestone for well 3.5B is achieving Botala’s targeted commercial production benchmark of more than 70 gigajoules per day. Further dewatering and production testing are required before a confirmed flow rate can be established, and the company has noted it will continue to monitor gas flow, water production, and reservoir response as that process continues.
Zooming out, the significance of this pilot result sits within a much larger project context. The Serowe CBM Project is estimated to host a prospective resource of 7.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). The Pitse Pilot is the de-risking step required to support a Bankable Feasibility Study and progress toward commercial development. Botala’s stated strategy is to establish a scalable CBM-to-LNG production pathway capable of supplying domestic and regional energy markets across Southern Africa.
Botala has stated it will provide further updates as meaningful production milestones are achieved during continued monitoring.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Well | Serowe-3.5B, Mining Licence ML-52, Botswana |
| Coal seam depth | Serowe Seam at 377m; Upper Morupule at 397m |
| Coal seam thickness | 23m total (13m Serowe Seam + 10m Upper Morupule Seam) |
| Stimulation | Single stage, 1.5 hours, 2,200 bbl fluid, 43.5 tons sand, 24 bbls/min, 390–450 |
| Commercial target | >70 gigajoules per day |
| Prospective resource | 7.1 Tcf (Serowe CBM Project) |
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