The company will now deepen the exploration well to test secondary targets in the fractured-karstified Saar and Naifa formations, Kuhlan sandstone-weathered basement, and fractured metamorphic basement.

The well is at a current depth of 2263m.

Participants in Block 35 are operator Oil Search (Yemen) (34.2105%), Virgin Resources (39.4737%), Arc Energy (15.7895%), and MND Exploration and Production (10.5263%).

Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, Oil Search is drilling the Juha-4 sidetrack well ahead to a depth of 967m.

The company had started drilling the sidetrack well at a depth of 938m after failing to recover drilling equipment left in the hole.

The Juha-4 exploration well is targeting an untested block that may be in communication with existing wells.

Juha-4 is 35km northwest of the Hides gas field. It follows on from the Juha-5 well, which was drilled in the same segment as earlier wells.

Oil Search is operator with a 31.5% stake in Juha-4, while ExxonMobil holds a 56% interest and Merlin Petroleum has 12.5%.

The company is also getting ready to drill into the primary objective at the Kutubu-2 well, which has reached a depth of 1750m.

Kutubu-2, which is in PPL 219, about 18km east of the main Iagifu-Hedinia field, is primarily targeting the Toro Sandstone, with a secondary target in the Iagifu Sandstone.

Participants in Kutubu-2 are Oil Search (operator with a 72.52% stake), Ampolex (18.73%) and Merlin (8.75%).

In Egypt, operator Sipetrol International is drilling the Rana-1 exploration well ahead at a depth of 2341m.

The third well in an extended drilling program in the East Ras Qattara block, Rana-1 is targeting reservoirs in the Cretaceous Abu Roash, Bahariya and Kharita formations, located at a prognosed total depth of 3711m.

Production storage facilities are located in nearby adjacent concessions.

Oil Search holds a 49.5% interest in Rana-1 while Sipetrol has 50.5%.