The well is located in the Harriet Joint Venture Permit, TL/6, and was being drilled from the South Plato production platform with the objective lying about 1.5km south-west of the platform.

Upon reaching total depth of 2,823 metres, a thin sand reservoir containing oil was encountered at the top of the Double Island sandstone interval. No oil water contact was intersected with oil lying directly on a base seal, according to junior partner Tap Oil.

"The Remus-1 exploration well is a deviated well, designed to test a four-way dip closed mound within the Double Island sandstone on trend with the previously drilled Romulus-1 exploration well one kilometre to the north," Tap said.

"Although the oil-filled sandstone reservoir intersected in Remus-1 is thin, a similar thin oil filled sandstone reservoir was also intersected in Romulus-1 which Tap interprets is on the same stratigraphic trend and could be connected.

"It is now planned to complete Remus-1 for immediate oil production through the South Plato production platform. This is a good example of the ability to quickly commercialise small oil pools in the vicinity of the String of Pearls production facilities."

Meanwhile the partners have also spudded the Rose-4 development well in neighbouring permit TL/1.

Rose-4 is being drilled from the Linda production platform and the objective lies about 5.6km south-east of the platform.

This deviated well is designed to intersect the Rose gas and condensate reservoirs updip of the Rose-1 discovery well. It is anticipated the well will take around 30 days to complete drilling operations, Tap said.

Rose-4 is being drilled to increase gas delivery for the Harriet Joint Venture gas contracts, including the Burrup Fertilisers contract which requires abou 82 TJ/day for 25 years.

The TL/6 joint venture participants are Apache Northwest (operator) 68.5%, Kufpec Australia (19.2771%) and Tap (Harriet) Pty Ltd 12.2229%.