Located in Production Licence 11 and operated by Origin, the well is on a structural closure similar to the adjacent Beharra North Field, 6.5 kilometres north of the Beharra Springs gas processing plant.

The prognosed top of the primary objective Wagina Formation, equivalent to the producing horizons at the nearby Beharra Springs and Beharra Springs North wells, is 3139 metres.

Tarantula is the second well underway for the companies in the area after last week’s spudding of Apium-1 in the onshore Perth Basin Production Licence L1, 3 kilometres east of the Hovea Production Facility and 2 kilometres west of the recent Xyris 1 gas discovery.

"Apium-1 is the second of the gas exploration wells being drilled in our gas exploration program on our L1/L2 licences. It will test a prospect which is well defined by 3D seismic data and is structurally similar to the nearby Xyris-1 gas discovery which was the first well drilled in the program," said Arc managing director Eric Streitberg.

Participants in L11 and Tarantula 1 are Origin Energy Developments (Operator) 67%, ARC Energy 33%.