Elevated gas readings and oil shows were also observed as the well drilled 420m through the sandstone to the total depth of 3850m this week.

"The forward plan is to complete the acquisition of pressure data and logs to confirm fluid content in the Toro sandstone," Oil Search said yesterday.

"Subject to results, a sidetrack will be drilled to establish the updip potential of the Hedinia forelimb."

The well struck the oil column in the upper Toro sandstone, underneath the producing Hedinia oil field in PNG's Southern Highlands province.

The participants of Hedinia 10 are Oil Search (60.05%), Merlin Petroleum, Ampolex/PNG Petroleum, Petroleum Resources Kutubu and Merlin Pacific Oil.