In a drilling update, junior partner Drillsearch Energy said the Jackson South-12A well, in PL 24, had encountered an oil show in the Westbourne Formation.
However, the well failed to recover oil on a drill stem test and was subsequently plugged and abandoned.
The well was about 92m north-northeast of the Jackson South-2 well and about 4.5km south-southeast of the Jackson oil facility.
Following this result, the PDI-735 rig was released to spud the next well, Jackson South-47, in PL 23.
The joint venture had some luck with Chilla-2, in PL 25, which encountered sufficient oil pay in the Murta Formation to warrant casing and suspending as a future oil producer.
Interests in the Naccowlah Block are Santos (operator – 55.5%), Beach Petroleum (38.5%), Drillsearch Energy (2%), Australian Gasfields (2%) and Inland Oil (2%).
