Santos, Carnarvon add Pavo South prospect to 2027 offshore Australia drilling campaign

Pavo South is expected to be drilled in late 2027 following the Ara-1 exploration well, with success potentially adding resources for a future tieback to the planned Dorado development offshore Western Australia.

Jeremy Beckman

Related To:

Carnarvon Energy

Nov. 13, 2026

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Why this news matters:

Pavo South could add new resources to support the planned Dorado Field development, improving the economics of future infrastructure investments.
The well is part of a broader Bedout Sub-basin campaign that also includes the higher-impact Ara-1 prospect, highlighting continued exploration activity offshore Western Australia.
Success at either prospect could expand the region's resource base and help de-risk additional exploration opportunities nearby.

Map of Bedout JV permits — The map Bedout JV permits highlights discovered oil and gas fields and 2027 confirmed drilling targets.

Santos and partner Carnarvon Energy have added a second well to their exploration drilling program next year in the Bedout Sub-basin offshore Western Australia.

Subject to regulatory approvals, they plan to hire a jackup rig suited to shallow-water operations for the Pavo South-1 well in the WA-438-P permit, where the water depth is about 90 m.

They currently expect to drill the well in late third-quarter 2027 as a follow-up target to the nearby Pavo Field, discovered in 2022. A success here (the current estimated is 74 MMboe) would increase the available oil resource for a future tie-in to the facilities for the planned Dorado Field development, Carnarvon reported, in addition to the 43 MMbl of oil proven in Pavo.

Meanwhile, preparations continue for Ara-1 exploration well in WA-435-P, which the semisub Transocean Equinox is contracted to drill in second-quarter 2027.

This will target a northern fairway on the Bedout permits. A strong outcome could open a new play and de-risk other nearby prospects. Ara could be comparable in size to Dorado, with a projected recoverable resource of potentially 191 MMboe.

Map of Bedout JV permits offshore Australia — The Bedout JV permits offshore Northwest Shelf, Australia, cover about 11,000 sq km of acreage.

About the Author

Jeremy Beckman

Staff Writer / Editor, Europe

Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.