US-focused shale gas producer Aurora Oil and Gas will join Australia’s top 100 companies by market value after the latest adjustment to the S&P/ASX 100.

The company also announced a sharp rise in production at its wells, which are located in the same liquids’ rich Eagle Ford region in Texas as BHP Billiton’s shale assets.

Aurora’s executive chairman Jonathan Stewart said the inclusion in the ASX 100 reflected a successful transition from exploration success to a rapidly growing international oil and gas producer.

The ASX 100 index comprises 100 stocks that provide a benchmark for fund managers with an emphasis on large-cap and mid-cap stocks evaluated for liquidity and size.

Mr Stewart said Aurora had boosted net production in May by 31 per cent to 6,600 barrels of oil equivalent a day.