Earlier this week the well was ‘plugged back’ 160m to allow the drill to go around lost equipment which remains at the bottom of the original hole at about 3107 metres.

“To date, sidetrack attempts have been unsuccessful,” BSOC said.

“Forward operations are to continue kick off procedures utilising specialised kick off equipment due to arrive on the Ocean Patriot rig today. If a sidetrack cannot be established at this level, it may be necessary to plug back several hundred metres further up the hole and attempt to kick off in softer formation.

“The operational difficulties at ZaneGrey-1 have not compromised the geological objectives of the well.”

The well’s prime targets are the interpreted oil bearing sandstones penetrated in Nannygai-1. ZaneGrey-1 is targeting these sandstones at a shallower level on the same structure at about 3250m (2800 vertical metres below sea level) in the intra-Latrobe Formation.

Participants in the Vic/P42 joint venture are Bass Strait Oil Company Ltd (operator) 50% and Inpex Alpha Limited 50%.