Novus put the result down to significantly higher production from the Brantas gas fields in east Java and improved market conditions in Indonesia.

Managing director Bob Williams said the company would focus on drilling exploration wells in the US and Australian in coming months after the success earlier this month of its Tibat gas/condensate discovery off the coast of Oman.

Novus would be hoping to replicate its Middle East success in the US, where its latest well produced less than spectacular results. The BUL 11-1 S2 well encountered gas while drilling a prospect in the Sorrento Dome Field (onshore Louisiana), but it was deemed not commercially viable.