Ann: Southern Cooper Basin Gas Project Operations Update, page-20

Same thing - a shield well is still a production well. It's always intended to produce gas. Don't get caught up too much on the semantics.

But these wells are definitely intended to provide mutual assistance in pressure reduction. That's why you drill a multi-well pilot in the first place, despite the fact drilling three wells triples your pilot cost. That's why they are spaced so closely together (they are only 200m away from Klebb 1, on either side).

Ideally they would put another two wells in to complete a box around Klebb 1, so that it's shielded from all directions, but it's a cost-benefit thing. If they struggle to dewater Klebb to produce timely economic gas flows, they may put in a Klebb 4 and 5. But they might as well see how the three-well pilot does first.