POE-2 was the first well to be drilled in a planned six-well program to re-establish meaningful oil production from the field, the Perth-based company said.

The well displayed good-to-very good hydrocarbon shows and elevated mud gas readings while drilling through the F sandstone target. Log analysis indicates the well encountered 5.8m of potential hydrocarbon bearing sandstones at a depth of 964m. The F sandstone is the only currently producing reservoir at the Wichian Buri oil field.

In addition, Carnarvon said “good to very good” hydrocarbon shows and elevated mud gas readings were encountered while drilling through the deeper G sandstone target, with log analysis suggesting 5.6m of potential hydrocarbon bearing sandstones at 1035m depth.

“There is no current G sandstone oil production from the Wichian Buri Field and no long-term production testing of this zone has been previously carried out to determine if this reservoir could add to oil production,” the company said.

“It is planned that this zone will be fully evaluated in the production testing of the Phase 1 wells.”

The company has also earmarked production testing for all six wells to take place in early September, using a smaller and more cost effective service rig for which a letter of intent has been signed with the owner.

Carnarvon said this smaller rig would allow for extended pump testing of all newly drilled wells for at least one month, to establish their potential for commercial production from both the F and G sandstone reservoirs.

The rig will then be moved to the existing producing wells to undertake a workover program.