Last week, the Crux-3 well was production tested at 50 million cubic feet of gas and 2000 barrels of condensate per day from the Montara Formation, which overlays the deeper reservoirs encountered in the other Crux wells drilled to date.

Nexus managing director Ian Tchacos said the well had confirmed the lateral continuity of the three main reservoir sands penetrated in the earlier Crux-1 and Crux-2 ST1 wells, in the southeast extension of the Crux ‘core’ area.

“The significantly better than prognosed gas sand intersection provides substantially increased confidence in the viability of the Crux liquids project and the exploration potential in the area,” he said.

“Furthermore the efficient execution of drilling and testing operations at Crux is expected to result in a well cost below our budgeted estimates.”

Due to spud this week, Crux-4 will test the mapped South East Horst extension of the field.

Nexus said this well was expected to provide important information for the project.

“The South East Horst lies outside of the Crux ‘core’ area and the reservoir distribution information which is expected to be obtained from this appraisal well is likely to have significant implications for further field appraisal and near field exploration such as the nearby Auriga prospect in AC-P23,” the company said.

Crux-4 is the second of three wells to be drilled in the greater Crux area.

The third well will be drilled in the adjoining AC-P41 exploration permit to test the Libra exploration prospect, in which Nexus holds a 50% interest in partnership with Shell.