The Queensland government has granted Santos an authority to prospect (ATP) over 764 km² of land located in the gas-rich Bowen and Surat basins, it said in a March 12 statement. 

“The granting of this ATP means Santos has fulfilled all necessary land access agreements, environmental and Native Title requirements and can soon get down to work exploring for gas as part of Queensland’s A$70bn (US$54bn) onshore gas industry,” resources minister Scott Stewart said. 

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Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said the company would invest nearly A$15mn into the state and local economies. He said that his company maintained its drilling programme during the pandemic and 2021 would be the same, “with around A$800mn being invested right here in Queensland to drill another 180 wells and deliver more gas supply.”  

Gallagher added that Santos and its Gladstone LNG partners had drilled around 700 wells and invested A$2bn in gas field developments in Queensland over the last two years.