Geologix Software helps Helium One make light work of flagship well in Tanzania

Background

Helium One Global Ltd. is an AIM-listed company that was formed to explore, develop, and produce helium, a critical material for many modern technologies. Their flagship project in the southern Rukwa Basin, Tanzania, is licensed within 1,086 km² and forms part of the East African Rift System. Helium seeps with concentrations up to 10.4%, combined with the absence of hydrocarbons or CO₂, make the southern Rukwa project a rare "green" helium project.

In 2024, the southern Rukwa helium project involved the drilling of the Itumbula West-1 (ITW-1) discovery well to 1,129 metres to locate helium within the fractured Basement and faulted Karoo Group. Unlike other gases, helium has no fluorescence or odour. Data from wells, wireline, sensors and cuttings needed to be gathered, assessed and a holistic subsurface picture communicated to senior level managers by the Operations Geology team. The results from the project were packaged and presented to support Helium One’s application for a Mining Licence to develop the project.

Challenges and Opportunities

While Tanzania has limited regulatory requirements, communication with the regulatory authorities is required during operations. An OGP (Outline Geological Prognosis) was required to guide the operating team on well expectations, including formation depths, drilling and geological hazards, tool runs and casing points, as well as the projected day-depth profile. During drilling, it was essential that data and analysis from multiple sources was assimilated to create an accurate picture of gas bearing formations that could be reviewed by senior level stakeholders.

This was of increased importance during the technically complex deepening operations on ITW-1 as Helium One explored for higher concentrations, and undertook subsequent extended well test (EWT) operations.

Solution

Owen Hughes, a highly experienced and global oil and gas Operations Geologist, selected the GEO software to support his team. Working from his London base, Owen prepared the OGP for the Wellsite Geologist ("WSG") to reference key markers. Every day, high-quality logs from WSG were delivered to Owen via GEO, providing critical geological insights and the ability to support the analyses of helium presence. The aggregation in a well log of geology, surface and subsurface sensor data and the observations of the experienced WSG on the rig were key to the team’s ability to deliver the well to the target depth and the helium-bearing intervals.

Helium One’s successful data acquisition from this flagship discovery well was captured by Owen and his team in the Composite Well Log created using GEO. This final, comprehensive record of the ITW-1 well documents the location of the helium-bearing Karoo Group and fractured Basement, and the impressive well test results, which recorded sustained helium flows of 5.5% helium and up to 7.9% helium in a pure helium-nitrogen mix. The Composite Well Log serves as the chief record of the well, providing critical data for regulatory submissions and future development plans.

Outcome

On a frontier project such as the southern Rukwa helium project, Helium One needed a robust and proven way to deliver geological knowledge some 6,016 miles from the rig to Managers and Board members in London. Communicating the well’s progress during drilling and presenting the successful results to the Tanzanian Government using GEO, enabled the Helium One team to create a clear picture of the helium potential in their licensed area quickly, so they could optimise this exciting opportunity. Helium One received an offer of Mining Licence for Southern Rukwa Helium Project in early 2025.