These shows were encountered after six cores were cut in the Kholan Carbonate reservoir interval between a depth of 2635 and 2720m.

The Sydney-based company said wireline logs would evaluate the significance of these shows after the well reaches a planned total depth of 3175m.

Yesterday, the well was at a depth of 2720m and was being prepared to drill ahead in 8½-inch hole.

Nabrajah-10 is 1km northeast of the Nabrajah-5 production well. It was designed to further appraise the Kholan dolomite and Basement potential in the Nabrajah-5 fault terrace.

The Nabrajah-5 well, which started production in late November, is producing at a constant rate, under natural flow conditions, of 5200 barrels of oil per day from the Basement.

Participants in the Nabrajah-10 well are DNO ASA, which holds a 56.67% stake, Oil Search (Yemen) which has 28.33% and The Yemen Company (15%).