Co-venturer Tap Oil said the Maitland-3H well, near Barrow Island in northwestern Australia, achieved higher short-term rates but had to be choked back due to sand influx.

“The testing program demonstrates that the flow potential of the Maitland reservoir is well in excess of the restricted test flow,” the company said.

“Sand influx is not an uncommon reservoir characteristic and production wells with sand screens are now being designed.”

Gas samples, flow data and pressure build-up data will be analysed in the coming weeks to confirm flow potential of the reservoir and development scenarios.

The well has been plugged and abandoned as planned and Apache is planning to drill two more vertical appraisal wells to delineate the extremities of the field for development.

Maitland-3H was a horizontal sidetrack drilled from the Maitland-2 location.

The Maitland field is in permit WA-33-R, and held by operator Apache (48.82%), Tap Oil (22.47%), Santos (18.71%) and Pan Pacific Petroleum (10%).