Gold Hydrogen Begins Scale-Up Test at Ramsay 3 With 10x Pumping Power
Key Takeaways
- Ramsay 3 flow testing has commenced with a 20,000 bbl/day Electric Submersible Pump — a tenfold increase over the 2,000 bbl/day capacity that constrained Ramsay 1 and 2, allowing the reservoir to be tested at scale for the first time.
- Independent formation evaluation by Baker Hughes, ImageStrat, and Gaffney Cline confirmed 105 metres of helium gas anomalies in the Kulpara Dolomite at Ramsay 3, with gas-bearing zones interpreted as laterally continuous across 2.3 kilometres to Ramsay 2.
- Ramsay 1 and 2 established helium purities of up to 30% peak and a Productivity Index of up to 34 bbl/day/psi — results that were pump-constrained, not reservoir-constrained, making Ramsay 3 the first genuine capacity test.
- Contingent Resource certification is actively in progress as a company priority, with flow test data from all three Ramsay wells serving as key inputs into the independent certification process.
- The Worley Report, released May 2026, independently assessed the Ramsay Project as having potential to underpin a commercial helium development, providing an external reference point ahead of Ramsay 3 results.
Ramsay 3 flow testing commences as Gold Hydrogen scales up its world-class natural hydrogen and helium system
Gold Hydrogen Limited (ASX: GHY) has moved to the Ramsay 3 well to commence natural hydrogen and helium flow testing, with workover operations underway and testing scheduled to begin immediately after completion. This is the third well in the Ramsay appraisal campaign on PEL 687, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, where the company holds a 100% working interest.
Ramsay 3 is a deliberate, engineered scale-up from its predecessors. The well uses 7-inch diameter casing compared with the 4½-inch casing on Ramsay 1 and Ramsay 2, delivering over 2.3 times the wellbore cross-sectional area and enabling deployment of an Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) with capacity of up to 20,000 bbl/day, compared with the 2,000 bbl/day ESP used at Ramsay 1 and 2.
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What Ramsay 1 and 2 already proved
The two completed flow tests have established a confirmed foundation for the project. Together, they demonstrated the presence of a continuous and laterally extensive 180m gross helium reservoir across both wells.
Key confirmed results from Ramsay 1 and Ramsay 2 include:
- Helium air-corrected purities of up to 20% stabilised from the Kulpara Dolomite at Ramsay 2, and up to 30% peak at Ramsay 1 (stabilised at 19%)
- A Productivity Index of up to 34 bbl/day/psi from the Kulpara Dolomite
- Raw gas rates of up to approximately 128 Mscf/day and helium rates of up to approximately 24.3 Mscf/day from the Kulpara Dolomite (these are modelled figures based on Ramsay 1 and 2 well test data and have not been demonstrated by flow testing)
- Successful trial of the Quantum Technology Purification Equipment
It is important to note that the raw gas and helium rates cited above are modelled projections, not results demonstrated by actual flow testing. At both Ramsay 1 and 2, the ESP was the constraint on flow, not the reservoir itself.
Contingent Resource certification is progressing and is a priority for the company. Flow test data from all three Ramsay wells will serve as key inputs into that independent certification process.
| Well | Casing Diameter | ESP Capacity | Key Test Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsay 1 | 4½-inch slotted liner | 2,000 bbl/day | Helium up to 30% peak (stabilised 19%); PI up to 34 bbl/day/psi | Flow tested (2026 campaign) |
| Ramsay 2 | 4½-inch cemented casing | 2,000 bbl/day | Helium up to 20% stabilised air-corrected (Kulpara Dolomite) | Flow tested (August 2026) |
| Ramsay 3 | 7-inch cemented casing | Up to 20,000 bbl/day | Formation evaluation complete; zonal flow test imminent | Workover underway; testing to commence |
Why Ramsay 3 is a different class of test
The step from Ramsay 1 and 2 to Ramsay 3 is not simply the next well in a sequence. It represents a deliberate engineering decision to remove the primary constraint that limited what the earlier tests could prove.
Bigger well, bigger pump, better data
At Ramsay 1 and 2, the ESP was the bottleneck. Both wells used a 2,000 bbl/day pump, and flow rates were constrained by that installed capacity, not by what the reservoir could actually deliver. The Productivity Index results (up to 34 bbl/day/psi) suggested the reservoir had significantly more to give than the equipment could handle.
Ramsay 3 changes that equation. The 7-inch wellbore provides 2.3 times the cross-sectional area of the 4½-inch predecessor wells, and this larger bore allows deployment of a 20,000 bbl/day ESP, a tenfold increase in pumping capacity. For the first time, the reservoir can be genuinely stress-tested at scale.
The well is designed as a zonal flow test. Helium-bearing zones will be perforated and tested first, followed by a Natural Hydrogen flow test. This structured, zonal approach means the company can attribute results to specific formations rather than drawing on a commingled signal from the entire borehole.
Formation evaluation supports the geological case
Independent formation evaluation work, conducted by Baker Hughes, ImageStrat Pty Ltd, and Gaffney Cline energy advisory, has strengthened the geological case ahead of testing. The analysis integrated Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) logging, acoustic imaging, and resistivity imaging across the gas-bearing Parara Limestone, Kulpara Dolomite, and Winulta Sandstone reservoirs.
Key findings from the evaluation include:
- A strong dissolved gas effect identified at an interval between 682m and 690m depth
- 105m of helium gas anomalies interpreted within the Kulpara Dolomite at Ramsay 3
- Gas-bearing zones interpreted as laterally continuous between Ramsay 2 and Ramsay 3, approximately 2.3 kilometres apart
- Favourable porosity, natural fracturing, and fluid mobility identified across the key reservoir intervals
The NMR log (Figure 1 in the source announcement) provides formation-level information on pore structure and fluid mobility, complementing the gas concentrations observed during drilling and previous flow testing. This independent work supports the company’s geological model that the natural hydrogen and helium-bearing formations extend across a substantial area rather than representing an isolated occurrence.
Neil McDonald, Managing Director
“If we can demonstrate strong and sustained flow rates while maintaining significant Natural Hydrogen and Helium concentrations, it could be a major step forward in establishing the commercial potential of the Ramsay Project.”
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What success at Ramsay 3 could mean for investors
The commercial picture that Ramsay 3 is designed to inform has already attracted independent validation. The Worley Report (released via ASX on 20 May 2026) identified the Ramsay Project as having the potential to underpin a commercial helium development. Ramsay 3 is the next step in building the evidence base to support that potential.
Key catalysts and considerations for investors to monitor:
- Contingent Resource certification is in progress and is a company priority. Flow test data from Ramsay 3, combined with results from Ramsay 1 and 2, will provide key inputs into independent certification.
- The Worley Report has independently assessed Ramsay as having potential to support commercial helium development, providing an external reference point for the project’s scale.
- Ramsay 3 is specifically designed to test the scale-up of what management has described as a potential “globally significant source of both Natural Hydrogen and Helium.”
- Demonstrated strong and sustained flow rates at Ramsay 3 would represent a material step forward in establishing the commercial viability of the project.
Investors should note, however, that geological and development risks remain. The source announcement states explicitly that there is no certainty the Ramsay 3 testing programme will achieve expected outcomes, that Contingent Resources will be able to be booked, that an accelerated Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) process or a Ramsay development will proceed, or that commercial viability can be established. Exploratory flow testing of the Hiltaba Basement interval may not result in a flow of helium to surface. These are material uncertainties that should be weighed alongside the project’s potential.
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