Two drill stem tests were undertaken in the well after drilling reached a total depth of 1853m.

The first test, which was run in the Birkhead Formation at a depth of between 1626m and 1636m, resulted in a flow of 85 bbls of oil per day and 80 bbls of water per day through a ¼ inch choke.

Better flows were recorded during a second drill stem test in the Mid Namur reservoir, which produced 318 bopd and 851 bbls of water per day through the same-size choke.

Last month, the previous well in the program, Christies-4, was completed as a producer, after it flowed 650 bopd and 1150 bbls of water per day on test from the Birkhead/upper Hutton formation.

The Century 3 rig has been released from the Christies-5 well and is now being mobilised to Cooper’s Silver Sands-1 well location in PEL 92, the Perth-based junior said.

Partners in the Christies oil field project are operator Beach Petroleum (70%) and Cooper (30%).