“This flow rate is amongst the largest yet recorded onshore in Australia,” Origin said.

But as no separator was on site for the clean up flow these flow rates are approximate and no estimation of liquid content was available.

Origin and Arc had estimated Tarantula to be a 6 to 10 billion cubic feet field, but reports are now suggesting the partners think it could hold as much as 50bcf.

During the drilling of Tarantula-1, in onshore Perth Basin production licence L11, in June last year, strong gas flows caught the partners by surprise and the resulting blow-out meant the well had to be suspended.

Tarantula-1 ST1 has now been flowed to clean up prior to connection to the Beharra Springs Gas Plant.

The well will now remain shut-in until it is connected to the gas plant next month.

Tarantula-1 ST1 is about 6.5 kilometres north of the Beharra Springs gas processing plant.

Participants in L11 and Tarantula-1 are: Origin Energy Developments Pty Limited* (operator) 67% and Arc Energy Limited 33%.