Jeff Goodall, chief geologist of Carnarvon Petroleum, which is Quadrant's partner on the licence, confirmed on Sunday the joint venture was expected to sink the bit on the exploration well in Block WA-155-P(1) “next week”.

Outtrim East-1 is seen as a low-risk well to test the extent of the Outtrim-1 which hit oil in the Pyrenees member 970 metres to the west.

Goodall,