Of this figure, Carnarvon is entitled to 1600bopd.

The increased output came as the joint venture brought the latest development well, NS8-D1, online last week at a free-flowing rate of 1480bopd of 35-degree API crude oil.

Carnarvon’s chief executive Ted Jacobson described the latest well result as “outstanding.”

“We have exceeded our original hopes to reach 2500bopd, where we would self fund the current operations of two drilling rigs and one work-over rig,” he said.

“This now gives us confidence to expand the development of our existing discoveries and drill some interesting new appraisal wells at other prospects such as at Bo Rang and Si Thep.”

Drilled as a deviated well to a vertical depth of 886m, NS8-D1 is in the southern fault compartment of the NSE oil field between the POE-9 and NS3-D1 wells.

The target volcanic reservoir was encountered at 859m, penetrating about 31m of reservoir section before heavy mud losses halted drilling, in what Carnarvon said was an extremely fractured and permeable volcanic reservoir.

“These test results demonstrate high deliverability within the southern fault compartment that is similar to that encountered at L44-H located in the central fault compartment,” Carnarvon said.

Heavy fluid losses were more recently experienced in the same reservoir while drilling the NS2-D1 development well, which the JV plans to test in the coming days.

This well is 452m north of the producing NS8-D1 well.

In the northern compartment of the field, the JV has brought the L44G-D1 into production at 50bopd of 37-degree API crude.

“These early stage results represent the first oil production from the northern fault compartment of the NSE field,” Carnarvon said.

Also drilled as a deviated appraisal well, L44G-D1 encountered multiple potential volcanic reservoirs, of which two are oil bearing and the remainder tight at this location, with low permeability.

“These test results confirm the hydrocarbon potential of a fairway that is a minimum 7.5 kilometres in length (north-south), with a maximum extent still unconstrained by a defined oil-water contact to the north and south, as well as to the east,” the company said.

“This well was drilled on pre-existing 2D seismic, whereas future follow-up drilling in the northern fault compartment will be targeted on the basis of a recently acquired 3D seismic survey.”

Pan Orient as operator is rigging up at the NS5-D1 well, in the central fault compartment of the NSE structural closure, 400m south of L44-H.

This will be the second well drilled into NSE’s central fault compartment.