The well, located 425 kilometres west of Port Lincoln and in water depths of 1,300m, is expected to spud tomorrow and will be drilled to a planned total depth of 5,600m.

Woodside said the well will be drilled in an untested sedimentary basin, and with acreage gazettals in adjacent areas still outstanding, the data from the well is likely to be commercially sensitive.

As a result, in a departure from its normal practice, Woodside said it will not be providing weekly reports on the progress of the well.

"The next scheduled report on the well will be released after completion of the well, which is expected to be in mid-to-late June 2003 depending on weather conditions," the company told the stock exchange.

Woodside's interest in EPP29 is 40% with EnCana Corporation at 30% and Anadarko Australia Company at 30%.