Red Sky Energy Begins Yarrow 4 Rig Move Ahead of August 31 Spud
Key Takeaways
- Rig 184 has commenced mobilisation to the Yarrow dual-well pad, with rig-up scheduled for 30 August and spud of Yarrow 4 confirmed for 31 August 2026.
- Red Sky Energy holds a 20% working interest in the Santos-operated Innamincka Dome Joint Venture, meaning it participates directly in production revenue from every well drilled.
- Yarrow 1 and Yarrow 3 are already producing gas and liquids into the Santos-operated gathering system, making this expansion of a live field rather than a greenfield exploration bet.
- Willowie 2, targeting the proven Patchawarra and Tirrawarra formations in PRL 18, is scheduled to spud in late October 2026 after civil works commence in early September.
- Existing Santos-operated infrastructure connecting to the Moomba facility means successful wells can be tied in quickly without standalone development costs.
Rig move underway at Yarrow as Red Sky’s drilling program advances
Rig 184 mobilisation to the Yarrow site has commenced, with rig-up scheduled for Sunday 30 August and spud of Yarrow 4 scheduled for Monday 31 August 2026 (weather and access permitting). Red Sky Energy (ASX:ROG) holds a 20% working interest in the Santos-operated (ASX:STO) Innamincka Dome Joint Venture, where Yarrow sits. This update follows the Company’s 11 August 2026 announcement and marks the next active phase in the already-producing Yarrow field.
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The updated drilling schedule at a glance
Persistent 2026 rainfall across the Cooper Basin has pushed back civil works and rig movements, but the Yarrow dual-well pad is complete and ready to receive the rig. The revised timeline below reflects Santos-advised estimates, all subject to weather, access and operational scheduling.
| Well | Location | Civil Works Status | Spud Estimate | Previous Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarrow 4 | PRL 17 dual-well pad | Complete | Monday 31 August 2026 | — |
| Yarrow 5 | PRL 17 (same pad) | Complete | Immediately after Yarrow 4 | — |
| Willowie 2 | PRL 18 | Early September 2026 | Late October 2026 | Civil works H2 Aug; spud mid-Oct |
Key status points:
- Civil works for the Yarrow 4/Yarrow 5 dual-well pad are complete
- Yarrow pad is ready to receive the rig
- All timing estimates are Santos-advised and subject to weather, access and operational scheduling
Weather challenges and the director’s view
Rainfall has been persistent across the Cooper Basin throughout 2026, affecting road access, earthworks and rig movements at Yarrow. This is an operational reality being actively managed, not a setback to the project’s fundamentals. Santos continues to manage the schedule around weather and access windows.
Andrew Knox, Managing Director
“Wet weather in the Cooper Basin has tested the drilling schedule. The Yarrow pad is complete, and the rig move has now commenced. We will update the market as each well spuds.”
Why the Innamincka Dome matters for investors
A working interest means Red Sky holds a direct stake in the project’s costs and production. The Company holds a 20% working interest in the Santos-operated Joint Venture. Operating alongside Santos in a proven producing basin de-risks the play significantly.
The Innamincka Dome is a proven producing region of the Cooper Basin. Santos operates established gas-gathering, pipeline and processing infrastructure connecting directly to the Moomba facility. This reduces well development costs and time to first production, which tells you successful wells can be tied in quickly rather than requiring standalone development.
Red Sky holds a 20% working interest across six PRLs (14, 17, 18, 180, 181 and 182) in the Santos-operated Joint Venture. The infrastructure is already in place. The wells feed straight into an existing network.
Building on an established production base
This is expansion of an already-producing field, not exploration from scratch. Yarrow 1 was tied in and commissioned in November 2025. Yarrow 1 and Yarrow 3 are currently producing gas and liquids into the Santos-operated gathering system.
The Yarrow two-well program follows Red Sky’s binding Authority for Expenditure (AFE) with Santos (ASX announcement 1 April 2026). That AFE locked in the Company’s commitment to drill and fund its share of Yarrow 4 and Yarrow 5.
Willowie 2 targets the Patchawarra and Tirrawarra formations, sits in the same structural trend as Yarrow, and if successful is expected to connect to existing Santos-operated infrastructure (AFE announcement 13 April 2026). The formations are proven producers elsewhere in the basin. The infrastructure connection de-risks commercialisation.
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What comes next
Five operational milestones are scheduled between now and late October 2026. Investors should watch for updates as each is reached:
- Rig-up at Yarrow — Sunday 30 August 2026
- Spud of Yarrow 4 — Monday 31 August 2026
- Yarrow 5 to follow immediately from the same pad
- Willowie 2 civil works — early September 2026
- Willowie 2 spud — late October 2026
All dates are Santos-advised estimates and subject to change based on weather, access and operational scheduling. The Company has committed to updating the market as each operational milestone is reached.
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