It is thought that, at the time of accepting the award offer, Oil Search Ltd, was planning on opening a farm-in opportunity for exploration licence PPL 608 around late-2020. In March 2020, Oil Search reported that it had accepted an offer of award, with the formal award pending Ministerial grant. APPL 608 covers an area of 3,408 sq km to the east of Hides and Angore gas fields and is thought to be prospective in Lower Cretaceous to Upper Jurassic clastic reservoirs, such as the Toro and Digimu sands.  The timing of the farm-out offering could be impacted by the Papua New Guinea Government's response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In April 2020, a country State of Emergency meant that government departments were suspended, including the Department of Petroleum and Energy (DPE). Under the terms of exploration licence awards, a farm-down of interest to a non-related entity is not permitted within the first 2-year work term. However, the process and agreement terms may progress.  Esso Highlands drilled the Trapia 1ST1 well in 2012 on the western edge of the area, in which, Oil Search participated. The well was drilled to a depth of approximately 3,800 m but initial petrophysical evaluations indicated that a prospective reservoir interval was not encountered. The majority of the application area was last held by Toro Oil Ltd, through licence PPL 194, which expired in 2003. BP has also been a major player over the acreage.   Upon the initial submission, APPL 608 covered an area of over 8,500 sq km. Oil Search since reduced the application area to 3,408 sq km.  Registered on 21 February 2017 and quickly gazetted on 26 May 2017, APPL 608 has been offered to Oil Search (PNG) Ltd, with 100% interest, by the DPE. The formal award remains subject to Ministerial grant. After which, the permit could be subject to a farm-out process by Oil Search.
Oil Search has accepted an offer of award for APPL 608 (3408kmÂ²) east of the Hides + Angore onshore gasfields.