Over the course of the next week, the company aims to set the 30-inch conductor, and drill ahead in 17.5 inch hole prior to setting 13 3/8 inch casing.

The newly built jack-up rig, the West Triton, is drilling Wardie-1 from the same location as the recently completed and suspended West Seahorse-3 well.

The Wardie prospect was revealed in September last year by a detailed mapping and depth conversion analysis.

If commercial quantities of oil are present in Wardie-1, the field could be jointly developed with the West Seahorse development, 3D said.

However, West Seahorse disappointed last week, finding oil in only one of three prognosed targets.

3D oil owns 100% of the Vic/P57 permit.