11 july 02 1266 mtrs, page-17

psi, do they risk deteriorating the formation of the Pioneer, Aralka and Areyonga formations if they continue down to Loves Creek, particuarly if gas is there?

With mud they definitely would risk formation damage but with air they shouldn't. The thing that might stop them would be well control - if there is too much gas coming out of the Pioneer, they can't keep is down with mud weight like they can if mud drilling.

So in that case they could pull up stumps.

But if well control is okay, they might stop, run logs, run DSTs or other formation tests, sidewall cores etc etc, perhaps even case off the pay zones, then they could always drill deeper to the Loves Creek if they wanted, maybe just with a 4" hammer.

Personally I would do this, if it was my well. But I have a lot more funds at my disposal than CTP does so they might see it differently.