UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) has spudded the first of two planned horizontal wells into the Portland formation at its Horse Hill discovery onshore southern England as it prepares to launch full production later this year.

The HH-2/2z probe spudded on Sunday morning is expected to deliver a “significantly higher” flow rate than the earlier HH-1 discovery well in Portland reservoir that delivered 362 barrels per day of oil, the London-listed operator said in a statement.

The well will have a total length of 5800 feet from surface, including a pilot hole to be drilled to a depth of 2000 feet, with a horizontal section of around 3200 feet penetrating the reservoir’s most productive oil zone.