The company yesterday said testing of the first well in the multi-well program had been held up until now due to delays relating to the air transport of perforating charges into Thailand.

Today’s test will examine a large area of possible reserves in a separate fault block west of the main Wichian Buri field. Carnarvon said success at this well could add significant additional reserves to the greater Wichian Buri field.

POE-6 is located 500m north and 35m structurally updip from WB-3, a well drilled in the late 1980s that flowed oil to surface from a thin oil column over water.

Canrarvon said test results from the well would be announced as soon as a stabilised production rate has been achieved.

Meanwhile, the company said POE-3, the fifth well in the program, had been drilled to a total depth of 1206.5m and final wireline logging and reservoir pressure testing had been finished.

Oil shows were encountered while drilling over a combined interval of about 125m, it said.

Carnarvon said interpretation of open hole logs indicated net hydrocarbon pay of about 15m in the “F” sandstone, 9m in the “G” sandstone and 5.2m in the deeper “H” sandstone.

While the “H” sandstone encountered at POE-3 was interpreted to have “very good” reservoir characteristics, it has not produced oil on the concession to date. Carnarvon said it would require further testing to evaluate oil potential.

Carnarvon has a 40% interest in the permit, while operator Pan Orient owns the remaining stake.