The company said on Sunday night it discovered the 30-foot down-hole turbine motor, which is deployed to drive the drill bit at 1200rpm, was sheared off one and a half feet from the top.

Despite these problems, Geodynamics managing director Bertus de Graaf said the well intervention was nearing completion.

“The loss of the turbine motor and the consequent need to deviate the hole around this is highly unfortunate but should not be regarded as a major setback,” he said.

“The Habanero-2 well is now within 1065 feet of its target depth and we have reason to be confident that the well will be completed in the next few weeks.”

To drill around the stuck turbine motor, the company has decided to deviate the hole using standard directional drilling techniques.

This involves firstly placing a 150-foot cement plug on top of the lost turbine motor, after which a deviated hole will be drilled using a new turbine motor. The equipment to carry out this procedure has been secured.

A ‘stinger’ has also been fitted at the bottom of the drill stem to help the injection of the cement plug.

This assembly had reached a depth of 9000 feet this morning and was scheduled to reach the bottom of the well (approximately 13,254 feet or 4041m) late this afternoon.

The cement will then be pumped down, before the company pulls out of the hole over the next 24 to 30 hours.

This will be followed by running into the hole with a new turbine motor and drill bit. The turbine motor will be configured to drill at a slight angle from the vertical.

Drilling is scheduled to restart on April 28.