The Sydney-based company yesterday said all major pieces of equipment on the floating, production, storage and offtake Crystal Ocean vessel are now functional and production at all four oil wells had been tested.

It said the gas injection well is also performing as required and the new mooring system on the shuttle tanker Basker Spirit, which delivered the first cargo of oil, is fully functional.

Anzon said individual well tests indicate that daily rates in excess of 20,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) are “readily achievable” from a well deliverability standpoint.

Basker-2 and Manta-2A have flowed at rates averaging 8000bopd, while it said Basker-3 and 5 are capable of producing at rates of up to 5000bopd.

The company said a peak stabilised production rate of 16,000bopd has been achieved so far, with gas being injected at rates of about 26 million standard cubic feet per day back into the reservoir for storage.

But it admitted that soaring temperatures in South Australia have impaired operations at the project.

“It should be noted that currently the operation has been seriously affected by the extremely high ambient temperatures being experienced in southeast Australia, with the gas cooling systems downstream of the compressor being adversely impacted,” Anzon said.

“Once more normal ambient temperatures return to Bass Strait, the well capabilities indicated above will be fully utilised.”

Total production to date since commissioning began on December 17 has been about 220,000 barrels. This, together with the production of 868,000 barrels during the extended production test, means the fields have exceeded 1 million barrels of production.

The participants in the Basker-Manta JV are operator Anzon Australia (50%) and Beach Petroleum (50%).