In a statement to Energy News this morning, Equinor announced it has been awarded exploration permit WA-542-P directly west of the massive Dorado oil discovery.

Equinor senior vice president for international offshore exploration, Paul McCafferty, said the award "expanded the company's position in a proven basin".

According to the statement, the company sought to acquire the exploration license following the then-Quadrant and Carnarvon discovery which was named discovery of the year by Wood Mackenzie.  

Well Dorado-1 hit 171 metres of net oil, pay making it the third-largest discovery in the history of the prolific North West Shelf. 

It is now operated by Santos (80%) with Carnarvon Petroleum (20%). Earlier this week the joint venture announced a successful flow test of the Baxter reservoir from appraisal well Dorado-3 which suggested a flow rate of 30,000 barrels of oil a day from any well targeting the Baxter.

"An interesting new liquids pay has emerged in this part of Australia's northwest shelf and we are looking forward to assessing the potential in our new permit," McCafferty said.

Equinor is the second to pick up a permit in the neighbourhood after a Santos-BP JV also took a nearby permit in September.

Under the award Equinor will be required to acquire geological and geophysical studies, reprocess historic seismic and obtain new 3D seismic across the acreage.

Equinor will be the 100% owner and operator of the permit which spans 4,815sq.km and lies about 100km off the WA coast.

Water depths range from between 80 metres and 350m.