Located at the company’s 40%-held Wichian Buri oil field, POE-9 was drilled on a structural high about 150m updip of the previous well, Na Sanun-1, which briefly produced 1400bopd before watering out.

In a statement yesterday, Carnarvon said operator Pan Orient would monitor POE-9 over the next few days to establish whether this oil flow is sustainable.

During drilling, the well intersected four potential zones of volcanic or igneous-fractured reservoir at depths of 794m, 853m, 1007m and 1142m with thickness between 15m and 50m.

A total of 17m was perforated between 853 and 870m, a zone correlating with the producing interval in Na Sanun-1, and which is currently the subject of production testing.

“This fractured volcanic reservoir is a new discovery in contrast to the Wichian Buri oil field, which comprises sandstone reservoirs,” Carnarvon said.

“Although caution must be exercised in view of the early watering out of the Na Sanun-1 well, if sustained production is established, it will be significant for the joint venture with several other similar structures identified on the 3D seismic data.”

Carnarvon added that production testing of the other Phase 1 and workover wells was proceeding as planned.