ExxonMobil has secured a drilling rig for development drilling at its US$400 million West Barracouta gas project off south-east Australia.

The US supermajor has agreed to use the jack-up drilling rig Noble Tom Prosser between January 2020 and April 2020. ExxonMobil also has six one-well options.

Sources said the rig is earmarked for the production wells at West Barracouta, which is expected to start producing gas by 2021.