The well reached a total depth of 2,429 metres on Friday and was plugged and abandoned without finding any indications of hydrocarbons at the target horizon.

Tap Oil said whilst Victoria-2 did not discover additional reserves downdip, the Victoria oil field was nonetheless being developed as part of the Little Sandy/Pedirka/Victoria oil fields development.

It said current operations for the rig involved running completions on the Little Sandy-1, Pedirka-1 and Victoria-1 wells as part of development operations. The topsides are now ready for mobilisation to the site and first oil is expected in December 2002.

Once completion operations are finished the rig will be mobilised to drill the Endymion-1 gas exploration well from the Sinbad platform.