South Oz Awards Five New Oil, Gas Blocks

South Australia June 30 announced the successful bids for five new blocks in the 2019 petroleum exploration acreage release with a guaranteed work programme valued at A$58.85mn over the next five years.

The department for energy and mining announced that the successful applicants for new blocks in the Cooper Basin are Leigh Creek Energy, Cordillo Energy, Gidgee Energy and Vintage Energy. The one Otway basin licence is being offered to joint venture partners Beach Energy and Cooper Energy through subsidiary companies.

Upstream industry group Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (Appea) CEO Andrew McConville said the allocation continued South Australia’s decades-long tradition of developing its onshore oil and gas fields, and was doing its share to meet Australia’s growing energy needs.

"South Australia should be congratulated for continuing to see the economic benefits that flow to their communities from developing and using natural gas, especially in these challenging times,” McConville said. “It’s encouraging to see the oil and gas industry continuing to supply natural gas to domestic customers, including manufacturers to help support local jobs and economic growth.”