Due to spud today, the Patron-1 well is targeting 2.4 million barrels of oil in-place and 3-9 billion cubic feet of gas.

Primary targets are oil in the McKinlay, Birkhead and Murta with Patchawarra and Epsilon gas as secondary targets.

The Patron prospect is on the northwest flank of the Dirkala Ridge, adjacent to the Padulla oil field, on a smaller parallel basement faulted ridge.

It is 14.5km southwest of the Worrior oil field and 3.5km northwest of the Padulla oil field, both of which are prolific producers.

Farminee partner Red Sky Energy has flown an airborne geochemical survey over PEL 93, which has produced micro-seepage anomalies over the Patron prospect.

It will be the second well after the Rainbird-1 well, which failed to encounter significant hydrocarbons, to test this method in the Cooper Basin.

Under the PEL 93 farm-in deal, 12 wells will be drilled in the permit over the next three years.

Farminees Red Sky Energy and Magellan have each agreed to pay 49% of the well costs, in return for a 24.5% stake in any commercial discovery.

Stuart as operator will have a 36% stake, while Cooper Energy has the remaining 15%.