The Jarver-1 well is being drilled using the semi-submersible Ocean Patriot in 576 metres of water.
Santos has indicated the wildcat has resource potential of between 100 million and 500 million barrels of oil equivalent.
The deep-water Sorrell basin is off the west coast of the island state of Tasmania.
Santos has a significant acreage position there, and has previously described it as a "high-risk, liquefied natural gas-scale, deep-water portfolio".
The
