Yesterday, the company farmed into Finder Exploration's WA-418-P permit which lies in the northern Dampier Sub-basin of the Carnarvon, while this morning the company was named the farm-in partner for WA-359-P and WA-409-P.

Cue Energy holds a 50% interest in WA-359-P while WA-409-P is held 50:50 by Cue and Moby Oil & Gas.

Under the Finder farm-in, Apache will earn a 65% interest in the permit through a cash payment which includes recovery of sunk costs on the block, paying the costs of an extensive 3D seismic data set covering the primary prospects in the permit and funding the drilling of an exploration well.

Finder secured WA-418-P late in 2008 as part of the Australian government's 2007 acreage release round. The permit contains three wells and is surrounded by the Mutineer-Exeter and Fletcher oil fields, and the North Rankin gas-condensate province.

Finder managing director Jan Ostby said the company was pleased to be working with Apache on another highly prospective permit and high-grading the identified prospects and lead.

In August, Apache farmed into a 75% interest in Finder's WA-450-P permit where the multi-trillion cubic feet Olympus gas prospect has been identified.

Under the terms of the agreements with Cue and Moby, Apache will acquire a 3D seismic survey over both permits, starting in January, to earn a 40% interest and operatorship in each block.

Apache also has the option to earn additional interest in WA-409-P and WA-359-P by free-carrying both Moby and Cue through the first well.

If Apache drills a well in each permit, Moby and Cue's stakes would reduce to 15%. Cue has the right to retain a 20% interest in both permits by funding 5% of the well costs while Moby has the right to do the same for WA-409-P.

In other news, Apache is planning to shoot 3D seismic over WA-261-P in the Carnarvon Basin to define the potential for further oil and gas reserves in the area.

In its environmental submission, Apache said the 2010 Chamois 3D seismic survey would consist of recording 117 square kilometres of seismic with the Geo Atlantic vessel.

The survey is expected to take 10 days to complete and will be carried out in January.

Apache holds a 55.48% interest and is operator of WA-261-P which is near the company's Stag oil field in WA-15-L.

Other partners in WA-261-P include Strike Energy, Bow Energy and Tap Oil.