The well site work had commenced at the Heron 1 location and was expected to be completed within 10 days.

The site construction contractor would then move to the Gazelle 1 location and from there to Red Deer 1.

All three sites were expected to be complete by the end of June.

The work was being carried out by the same construction contractor that successfully prepared the sites for the company's 2018 drilling campaign.

A contractor had been chosen to drill two water supply wells, one for operations at Heron and Gazelle and one for Red Deer.

The contractor would mobilise to Heron in early June.

Permitting, procurement activities and rig preparations were progressing well, ahead of the exploration drilling campaign, the company said.

'The DQE rig has completed its pre-move testing and certification and the required electrical upgrade is expected to be completed in the first week of June,' it added.

Petro Matad said it continued to target an early July spud date for the Heron well with the Red Deer well expected to spud in the second half of July.

Drilling of the Gazelle well will immediately follow Heron, after a short rig move.