“Cliff Head-5 will take approximately 10 days and will be fully cored through the oil reservoir section,” Voyager said in a statement.

“The well is designed to confirm oil reserves and reservoir composition in the East Ridge part of the Cliff Head oil field. The well will not be kept for future production purposes.”

The development well Cliff Head-6 will follow. It is expected to take about 12 days to drill and will also be fully cored through the oil reservoir section. The partners plan to case and retain Cliff Head-6 as a future oil producer.

Participants in WA-286-P are: Roc Oil (WA) Pty Limited 37.5%, AWE Oil (Western Australia ) Pty Ltd 27.5%, Wandoo Petroleum Pty Ltd 24%, Voyager (PB) Limited 6% and Cieco Exploration and Production (Australia) Pty Ltd 5%.

Following the Cliff Head wells, the Ensco-56 will move north to the Hadda-1 exploration well site in exploration licence WA-325-P.

Hadda-1 is a 10-day well that will test a structure with recoverable oil potential of 65 million barrels, Voyager said.

The Flying Foam well in neighbouring lease, WA-327-P, was due to e drilled immediately after hadda-1 but this may not be possible, according to the company.

“Due mainly to delays to the rig’s arrival in the Perth Basin and potential conflict with local fishing activities, the Flying Foam-1 well may not be drilled following Hadda-1 as previously planned,” Voyager said.

“This has yet to be confirmed but if so, the well is likely to be moved to a slot later in the year associated with the expected Cliff Head oil field development drilling and installation program.”

Participants in WA-325-P and WA-327-P are: Apache Northwest Pty Limited 37.5%, Roc Oil (WA) Pty Limited 37.5%, Voyager (PB) Limited 12.5%*, Bounty Oil & Gas NL 7.5%* and Wandoo Petroleum Pty Ltd 5.0%.

*Voyager is earning a further 2.5% from Bounty Oil and Gas NL in WA-325-P, subject to completion of statutory and joint venture documentation