Touchstone Exploration Inc.has announced a “significant” natural gas discovery at the Chinook-1 exploration well on the Ortoire exploration block, onshore in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Chinook-1 was drilled to a total depth of 10,039 feet to test a structural formation around a mile south of the Cascadura gas discovery. Wireline logs indicated “significant” natural gas pay totaling approximately 589 net feet in three unique thrust sheets in the Herrera sands, according to Touchstone, which added that additional natural gas pay of approximately 20 net feet was encountered in the shallower Cruse formation.

Chinook-1 is the company’s third exploration well drilled on the Ortoire exploration block and the third hydrocarbon discovery since commencing the Ortoire exploration drilling program in August 2019.

“The results from the Chinook well exceeded pre-drill expectations,” Paul R. Baay, the president and chief executive officer of Touchstone, said in a company statement.