New Zealand Oil and Gas Ltd, a participant in the Makino well said a drilling break was encountered over the interval 4443-4448m, associated with loose quartz sand and an increase in cuttings gas from a background of 0.04% to 3.39%.
"Gas composition and sample fluorescence in sandstone aggregate in cuttings are indicative of condensate or oil," NZOG said. The company added the current plan is to drill to 4500m and run wireline logs.