Oz QLD Releases More Land for Gas Exploration
The Australian state of Queensland September 26 awarded four companies with acreage for petroleum exploration, covering more than 6,600 kilometres2, it said.
One of the companies, Chi Oil and Gas, will have domestic-oil sale conditions on any gas it produces from the 5,266 km2 of land near Quilpie in the Eromanga and Adavale basins it won.
“They join a growing team seeking or producing Queensland gas for the east coast market. Senex is progressing its Project Atlas in the Surat Basin, and Central Petroleum, along with Armour Energy, have authorities to prospect to explore almost 400 km2 for the Australian market,” the state government said.
Brisbane-based Armour was also awarded two areas over the Surat and Bowen basins in the latest round, from which it could supply any gas it finds to either the Australian or export markets.
Cypress Petroleum and Bridgeport Energy were the other two companies to be granted land September 26, both of which are free to sell any gas found either locally or on the seaborne market.
Cypress was granted two blocks over the Surat and Bowen basins, covering 487 km2 and 559 km2. And, Bridgeport Energy was awarded 298 km2 also covering the two basins.
Natural resources, mines and energy minister Anthony Lynham said the release of the latest blocks further demonstrates that Queensland continues to do the heavy lifting in shoring up Australia’s gas supply.
“We’re fulfilling our election commitment to release land for gas exploration with the requirement that any gas produced will only be provided to our domestic market,” he said.
“Ultimately, these land releases will deliver more petajoules into pipes, bringing more gas to the east coast and more gas for export,” he added.
The companies will still need to negotiate land access agreements, fulfil environmental and native title requirements and be granted exploration authorities before exploration can begin.