Partner Sun Resources said wireline logs suggested the well, which was drilled to a total depth of 1524m, had encountered a 13.9m gross gas zone (5.6m net pay) over the interval 1423-1437m, with gas on rock and no water.

Production casing has subsequently been run to allow the well to be flow-tested later in the week, Sun Resources said.

Based on 3D seismic interpretation, the Dona Carlota gas field has been estimated to contain about 620 million cubic feet of gas.

Following Dona Carlota-1, the truck-mounted rig has already moved to the second well in the three-well program, Agavero-1, which is targeting 700MMcf.

It will conclude the program with the Climaco-1 well, aiming for 1.6 billion cubic feet.

Like the initial campaign, any commercial discovery from the three new wells will be brought online quickly, as the project area is intersected by a number of gas pipelines.

The campaign is a precursor to a higher impact program targeting 30-200Bcf of gas in the second half of this year.

Interests in the Margarita project are Empyrean Energy (44%), Victoria Petroleum and Sun Resources each with 20% and Wandoo Energy with 16%.