The Brisbane-based company today said the joint venture has also decided to delay the drilling of Nora-1, the third well in the Avery farm-in program in the Wompi Block, while a review of the technical data in the area is carried out.

The review will also include the integration of the results of Maracoonda-2 and Gamma-1, it said.

“One of the key rationales for not immediately drilling Nora-1 is that the Wompi Block JV has very recently agreed to acquire a 3D seismic survey in cooperation with Santos, which extends from the adjacent Santos-operated Watson oil field into the Wompi Block and will detail several prospects in the block which are adjacent to and on trend with the Watson oil field,” Bow said.

“The ATP 752P JV will get substantial savings on a standalone 3D, as it only pays the pro-rata share of any of the 3D data located with the Wompi Block and will get access to extra 3D data beyond the Block boundaries.”

The company said if the subsequent mapping using the new 3D shows that any prospects being detailed have commercial oil potential, the JV may drill one of those prospects rather than Nora-1 as the next well in the program.

The Watson 3D seismic survey is planned for April.

Bow said the final processed 3D seismic data acquired recently in the Barta Block of ATP 752P, in cooperation with Santos, will soon be available.

“Following the interpretation, the 3D data and its integration with recently reprocessed 2D data in the block, the JV will be in a position to finalise drilling locations,” it said.

Two oil exploration wells, subject to drilling prospects being agreed, are planned in the Barta Block for the second half of this year.

Bow is fully-carried on the Cooper-Eromanga oil exploration drilling program, with Avery Resources (Australia) funding 100% of each Wompi block well’s cost to casing point or plugging and abandonment.

The interests in ATP 752P (following the completion of the Avery farm-in) will be operator Bow 25%, Victoria Petroleum 25% and Avery 50%.