Drilled by the Harriet joint venture in permit TL/6, Plato-2 spudded on 19 April 2005.

It was drilled from the South Plato production platform to an objective about one kilometres north-northwest of the platform to total depth of 2,700 metres, according to junior partner Tap Oil. No commercial hydrocarbons were encountered within the objective Flag Sandstone reservoir.

“Plato-2 is the fourth well in the current Flag Sandstone drilling program,” said Tap.

“The first well Albert-1 was successful in encountering oil and is currently on production. The next two wells, Romulus-1 and Remus-1 intersected oil in a thin sand on top of the Flag Sandstone. Tap interprets this sand may be part of a stratigraphically trapped pool of oil which could provide a drilling target later in the drill program.”

Another 20 wells are currently planned for this year in the Harriet Joint Venture program with the aim to increase oil production and reserves. Following abandonment of Plato-2, the rig will begin drilling the Harriet-A11 appraisal/development well, which is targeting an interpreted undrained pool in the Harriet oil field area.

Meanwhile the Rose-4 development well in the Harriet Joint Venture Permit, TL/1, is now about 10 days away from reaching deviated depth of 6,267 metres, according to Tap

Rose-4 is being drilled as a directional well from the Linda production platform. The objective lies about 5.6 kilometres south-east of the platform.

TL/6 Joint Venture Participants are Apache Northwest Pty Ltd (operator) 68.5%

Kufpec Australia Pty Ltd 19.2771% and Tap (Harriet) Pty Ltd 12.2229%.