Last week the ASX-listed partners – which include Sun Resources, Victoria Petroleum and Aurora Oil & Gas – reported gas shows and drilling breaks over an 81 metre sand section, well above the historical production horizons for the field.

Now the partners have said the operator noted peaks in gas shows over 30.5 m from 2,707 m and over 22.8 m from 2,830 m. The well was at 2,864 m at the time of the report and drilling ahead in a 12.25-inch hole in sand with high background total gas.

“The significance of these shows will be assessed in future logging operations, in particular formation pressure testing measurements on completion of the well,” Sun Resources said in a statement.

Target depth is 3726 metres. The well is programmed to reach the main target zone in 31 days and final total depth in about 41 days. It will test multiple target sands between 3200 metres and 3660 metres.

“The EFB D-24 well is targeting 3P reserves of 17 BCF of recoverable gas and additional potential of 14 BCF of recoverable gas in the lower Frio J and K sands, ie a total 31 BCF of recoverable gas, in the deeper part of the four-way dipping closure,” Sun said.

“Four of the reservoirs in this closure have already produced gas in old wells, but these wells were lost by engineering failure soon after production started.

"None of the old wells were fracture stimulated and it is anticipated that most of the 14 BCF of additional potential gas reserves will come from fracture stimulation of the known productive reservoirs.”