Winchester Energy Limited (ASX: WEL), an oil and gas explorer with assets in the Permian Basin in Texas, has announced the successful completion of drilling at the JVU-5 production well within its Varn waterflood project in Taylor County, Texas. The well reached a total depth of 4,877 feet (1,486 metres) on 19 October 2025, and subsequent logging has identified oil and gas shows in both the upper and lower Fry sands, consistent with pre-drilling expectations and the adjacent JVU-6 well.
The company will now proceed with completion operations to bring the JVU-5 well online. Winchester Energy is focused on developing projects and applying enhanced oil recovery techniques. The Varn waterflood project is designed to improve oil recovery from existing reservoirs.
The planned waterflood operation includes a total of ten wells, with five oil and gas producers and five water injectors. The majority of these wells are planned for the central area where the Upper and Lower Fry Sand overlap. All planning and permitting is in place to drill the remaining wells.
Winchester Energy CEO Rory McGoldrick expressed his satisfaction with the drilling results, stating, “We are very pleased to have reached total depth on the JVU-5 production well. I would like to thank the Winchester team and key contractors for achieving our drilling goals safely, efficiently and within budget.” The company plans to drill the next well in the program, the JVU-4 water injection well, in the first quarter of 2026. A significant amount of above-ground infrastructure is already in place, allowing each well to be put on production shortly after drilling and completion.
