Joint venture partner Oil Search said the well flowed light crude with a gas-to-oil ratio of 1170 standard cubic feet per barrel from the Kharita formation, at a rate of 850 barrels per day on a 24/64 inch choke.

“The main flow test is currently underway,” Oil Search said yesterday.

“Three more zones will be tested based on cased hole log evaluation that indicates several potential oil-bearing intervals in the Bahariya and Kharita formations.”

Rana-1 is in the East Ras Qattara concession, Western Desert, Egypt, about 12km south-east of the Ghard-1 discovery, which was drilled in December.

Rana-1 is Oil Search’s third well in an extended drilling program in the East Ras Qattara block in 2007.

The first two wells, Ghard-1 and Shahd-1, have both been cased as future producers.

The participants in the Rana-1 well are Sipetrol International (operator and 50.5%), and Oil Search (49.5%).