ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: An Australian energy firm, BHP Billiton, on Tuesday announced additional gas finds from its Zamzama East well situated in Sindh. A statement of the company says the well encountered a 36.3 metre net gas bearing Pab sandstone within a 61.3 metre gross column when drilled to a depth of 4,051 metre.

The well flowed at a rate of 40 million standard cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas on a 48/64 inch choke. This is the second successful appraisal well BHP Billiton has drilled on the field since phase-1 of the development was completed in June 2003.

The first, Zamzama North, confirmed a 127 metre gross gas column with 79 metre of net pay. The well flowed at a gas rate of 41 MMCFD on a 48/64 inch choke.

The company has commissioned the Zamzama phase-1 development and made the first contractual commercial gas deliveries from the new facilities to its customers on July 17, 2003. The phase-1 is currently supplying some 300 MMCFD of gas to the Sui Southern Gas Company's system.