Unfortunately, for the lads at Impress Technologies, Yardarino and Pancontinental Oil & Gas, it ended with the Walyering-4 well, just 160km north of Perth.

Despite being drilled only 150m from the original discovery hole, which flowed at more than 10 million cubic feet per day during production testing, this time the well hit only water and was plugged and abandoned.

The spotlight now will be on Cliff Head-1 well, onshore Dongara, with estimates it could contain up to 100 million barrels of oil. Cliff Head is owned by Roc Oil (30 per cent), AWE (27.5%), Arc Energy (7.5%), Voyager Energy (5%) and Norwest Energy (5%).

Hardman Resources will drill Woodada-17, near Eneabba and Empire Oil and Gas plans to drill the Eclipse well next year.