Drilling has now ceased as a full log evaluation is underway, with a forward plan to be determined once the results are known.

The shows were found in the lower part of the Toro Formation at Toro C sandstone, while drilling into the deeper Digimu sandstone had also taken place.

After a weekly progress of 164m this week, NW Paua-1 ST3 is at a depth of 3390m of the total planned depth of 3600m.

The well targets the Toro and Digimu sandstones in a more optimal location on the known hanging-wall structure than the Paua-1x well, drilled in the mid 1990s.

Participants in NW Paua are Oil Search at 52.5% and ExxonMobil at 47.5%.

Meanwhile, Oil Search's Cobra 1A well in PNG has made 45m progress and is at 2126m, moving towards a total planned depth of 3100m.

The well is preparing to drill ahead in an 8.5 inch hole.

Cobra-1A is directed at the Iagifu sandstone - the principal reservoir in the Gobe and SE Gobe fields - in a seismically defined sub-thrust prospect.

Oil Search said Cobra-1 is the first well in PNG to target a sub-thrust play as the primary target.

Participants in Cobra-1A are operator Oil Search (62.556%), Murray Petroleum (26.497%) and Cue Energy (10.947%).