The company had previously announced that the well, located about 300km from Darwin and 30km north of the Blacktip field, had encountered three gas zones with a total gross thickness of 50m. However a production test failed to produce gas to surface and it will now be plugged and abandoned.

Polkadot-1 well appraised the Hyland Bay Formation down dip of the Penguin-1 gas discovery. A four metre gross gas-bearing interval was intersected and sampled by wireline tools only.

The Blacktip reservoir is considered to be large enough to fulfil Woodside’s supply contract to Alcan’s Gove alumina refinery $1.8 billion expansion, although the company was keen for additional discoveries for the gas hub to develop further commercial contracts in the country’s north.

Woodside’s interest in WA-313-P is 50%. The other participant is Eni Australia B.V. (50%).