Carnarvon said drilling of the first of the three new production wells is expected to start this weekend and pending the weather, should be finished by the end of this month.

Carnarvon said a further two weeks will be required to bring the wells onstream through the new facilities enabling oil production from the new wells should flow by mid-November.

As for its recently completed fracturing operations, Carnarvon said the return to stabilised production of the WB-N2 and N3 wells is continuing. "The wells are currently being cleaned out and the results of the flow testing are expected this weekend," the company said.

ASX-listed Carnarvon Petroleum NL is a junior oil and gas exploration and production company with a 40% interest in the SW1A concession in Thailand as well as reserves in PNG and the North West Shelf. Carnarvon's joint venture partner in the SW1A concession is Pacific Tiger Energy Inc.