In a statement yesterday, Tap Oil said the Lee-3 deviated well, currently at a measured depth of 2480m, was designed to produce gas and condensate from a field discovered by the Lee-1 exploration well.

The well is expected to take about 15 days to reach a total depth of 4400m, or 2600m vertical depth, and is planned to intersect up to four producing reservoirs delineated by the follow-up well.

The Lee-3 bottom-hole location lies about 2.5km southeast of the Linda Platform.

Meanwhile, the partners' West Cycad-2 oil field development well in nearby production licence TL/9 has drilled to a total depth of about 610 metres.

Tap Oil said that the moderate reserves discovered at West Cycad will be recovered via the existing Victoria Oil Platform, which lies roughly 6km north of the well.

West Cycad-2, a horizontal development well, is expected to be completed in early February and is should add around 4000 bopd to the HJV's production on start up.

The Harriet Joint Venture comprises Apache Energy (operator with a 68.5% stake), Kufpec Australia (19.2771%) and Tap (12.2229%).