Irish energy company Circle Oil has announced positive results after testing an exploratory well in its onshore Sebou permit, which is located in Morocco’s Rharb Basin.

In a statement released on 11 May, Circle Oil said its first well in the permit was drilled to a total depth of 1,263 metres in June 2014.

Circle Oil says the well encountered gas shows at three different levels.

Testing the lowermost gas play, it found 3.6 metres of net pay with gas flowing at a sustained rate of 4.94 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) on a 24/64” choke during a period of five hours.

In a separate statement, Morocco’s Office of Hydrocarbons and Mining (ONHYM) said production from the well would start at the end of June this year.