Queensland unlocks new coal and gas exploration acreage

The Queensland Government has released more than 7,000 km² of land for petroleum and gas and coal exploration.

Coal exploration tender releases – CLR2020-1

Two coal exploration areas have been released in the Bowen Basin, including:

• one 35 km² area (11 sub-blocks) located 40 km north-west of Moranbah with metallurgical coal potential
• one 73 km² area (23 sub-blocks), comprising five separate areas 60 km north-east of Moranbah with metallurgical and thermal coal potential.

Source: Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

Petroleum and gas exploration tender releases – PLR2020-1

12 new petroleum and gas exploration releases will be available across the Bowen and Surat basins. The new petroleum and gas releases in the Bowen Basin include:

• one 97 km² area (31 sub-blocks) 52 km north-east of Rolleston coal seam gas potential
• one 338 km² area (108 sub-blocks) 40 km south of Blackwater with coal seam gas potential
• one 1,366 km² area (436 sub-blocks) 80 km south-east of Blackwater with coal seam gas potential
• one 841 km² area (269 sub-blocks) 40 km north-west of Banana with coal seam gas and/or unconventional gas potential
• one 1,414 km² area (454 sub-blocks) 40 km south-west of Rolleston with coal seam gas and/or unconventional gas potential
• one 270 km² area (87 sub-blocks) 50 km south-east of Rolleston with coal seam gas potential
• one 149 km² area (48 sub-blocks) 60 km south-east of Rolleston with coal seam gas potential.

The five petroleum and gas releases across both the Bowen and Surat basins include:

• one 396 km² area (128 sub-blocks) 25 km north-east of Taroom with coal seam gas potential
• one 486 km² area (157 sub-blocks) 44 km south-east of Theodore with coal seam gas potential
• one 668 km² area (216 sub-blocks) 45 km north of Injune with conventional and/or unconventional gas potential
• one 76 km² area (25 sub-blocks) 55 km east of Surat with unconventional gas potential
• one 703 km² area (232 sub-blocks) 30 km south-west of Moonie with unconventional gas potential.

Source: Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

Tenders for the coal exploration releases open from March 2020, with outcomes expected by August 2020. The petroleum and gas exploration tenders open in April 2020 with awards expected by September 2020.

Preferred tenderers must comply with land access and native title requirements and, depending on any applicable land use constraints, meet other approval requirements prior to commencing exploration activities.

For further details on the tender process for these new exploration areas, please contact Andrew Corkhill or Leanne O’Neill.