Salamander Energy has commenced drilling the G4/50-5 exploration well in Block G4/50 in the Gulf of Thailand.
The drilling will target the Surin prospect, which is located in the northwest of the block in the Western Central sub-basin.
G4/50-5 is targeting oil in Miocene sandstones, which is estimated to contain mean prospective recoverable resources of 16 MMbo with access to hydrocarbon charge being identified as the key risk.
Salamander said exploration at Surin will open the play in the Western Central sub-basin and de-risk the neighboring Ayutthaya and Buriram prospects.
Atwood Mako jack-up rig will be used to drill the G4/50-5 well to 2,125m total vertical depth sub-sea in 10 days.
Once complete, the rig will return to the Bravo platform to continue the development drilling campaign on the Bualuang field.