“The joint venture has cased the well as a potential future multi zone oil producer,” the company said.

“It was designed to extend the Tarbat pool and develop the reserves in several zones. Tarbat-12 encountered good to strong oil shows in the Murta and Westbourne Zones and fair to good shows in the Hutton Sandstone. Logging established productive reservoir quality in several zones.”

Located about 80 metres west of Tarbat-1 and 115km north-east of the Jackson oil facility, the well reached total depth of 1230 metres at on 10 May.

“Following completion of Tarbat 12, the joint venture operator has proposed a development well at the Mulberry field, named Mulberry-5,” said Drillsearch managing director Philip Kelso.

Mulberry-5 – to be drilled about halfway between the Mulberry1 discovery well and the Mulberry-3 appraisal well was due to spud yesterday.

Partners in the Tintaburra Block are Santos (operator) 90% and Drillsearch 10%.