The well, located in WA-483-P, is Woodside’s only local commitment well planned for 2017 and is being drilled at 60% with Kufpec carrying a 40% interest, although it has previously indicated up to three wells may be drilled.

The company has asked the National Offshore Petroleum and Safety Administration to approve its environmental plan.

Swell-1 will be drilled in the Exmouth Sub-basin of the Carnarvon Basin, about 70km north-east of Exmouth in around 154m of water over a 3-4 month period.

The medium-sized prospect, is an older North West Shelf target was previously considered for drilling by BHP Billiton and Apache Energy when they held the area in 2005, although much of the original technical work was completed by junior Octanex.

Octanex sold the area to BHP and Apache, having worked up a number of prospects in the former WA-329-P, as the Exmouth Sub-basin was emerging as one of Australia’s most prolific new oil provinces.

Woodside’s planned drilling will take place between the oil fields such as Vincent, Stybarrow, and Pyrenees to the west and Griffin and Chinook to the east.

The Vincent oil discovery at the top of the Barrow Group in 1998 was significant in proving producible oil in the area, opening up the Basal Barrow Group plays.

Woodside secured WA-483-P in May 2013 and a well was originally due by May 2016, however the third permit year has been extended to November 2017 to allow the drilling.

Woodside completed the 1264sq.km Babylon 3D survey over Swell last year to better define the structure.

The well is planned for the second quarter.

Presence of both reservoir and seal confirmed in the nearby Nimrod-1 well, drilled by BHP Billiton in the Barrow Sub-Basin in 1996.

Swell is understood to be a Triassic tilted fault-block play with three-way dip closure, with the Mungaroo, Brigadier and Barrow formation targets.

The well is expected to cost around $30.5 million.