Onshore petroleum exploration acreage release

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Peter Green
Keyword(s):  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Release Process ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
Major Development ◽  
Under Construction ◽  
Exploration Activity

The petroleum industry in Australia is going through a major development phase with export LNG projects under construction on both the east and west coasts. Initial exploration for shale and tight gas has opened up new plays as well as increasing interest in many sedimentary basins that have been overlooked. Access to land onshore in Australia for petroleum exploration is, in some States, through a formal release process by the relevant jurisdiction. This is a compilation of material supplied by the States and Northern Territory in relation to land being made available onshore for petroleum exploration. Not all jurisdictions have new acreage available for exploration. In these cases, new initiatives being undertaken that directly relate to accessing land for exploration or the present state of exploration activity will be highlighted. Land that is being made available for exploration will generally be accompanied by information regarding its geological setting and petroleum potential. Previous exploration activity may be in summaries, including information in relation to the amount of pre-existing data available to future explorers. Exploration opportunities may include conventional and unconventional targets. The review of the areas may also include maps and sections related to the land being made available.

Australian states and Northern Territory acreage update

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Haworth ◽  
Richard Bruce
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Release Process ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Work Program ◽  
The Us ◽  
Exploration Activity

It is encouraging to note that a number of international oil companies (IOCs) have taken an interest in Australian onshore exploration, including the following: Bowen-Surat Basin—BG, ConocoPhillips, CNOOC, PetroChina, Sinopec, KOGAS, Mitsui, Petronas, Shell, and Total.Canning Basin—Mitsubishi, ConocoPhillips, Hess, PetroChina, and Apache.Cooper-Eromanga Basin—BG, and Chevron.Galilee Basin—CNOOC.Georgina Basin—Statoil, and Total. There is now greater interest in Australian onshore exploration, including in a number of sedimentary basins that have previously largely been overlooked. New views on geology and the development of a commercial shale and tight gas sector in the US have prompted a reassessment of onshore petroleum potential, especially in SA, the NT and WA. Access to onshore acreage in Australia for petroleum exploration is, in most jurisdictions, by means of a formal release process with a work program bidding system. Acreage that is being made available for exploration will generally be accompanied by information regarding its geological setting and petroleum prospectivity. Previous exploration activity may be summarised (including information in relation to the amount of pre-existing data available to applicants for acreage), and relevant maps and figures may be included. The following is a compilation of material supplied by the states and NT in relation to onshore acreage being made available for petroleum exploration.

2015 Onshore Petroleum Acreage Release

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Louise Goldie Divko
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Release Process ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Land Access ◽  
Work Program ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Gas Tight

Australian state and territory acreage opportunities and recent activities are summarised in this paper. Exploration opportunities continue to exist for petroleum explorers in onshore basins, including a number of sedimentary basins that have previously largely been overlooked, with an increased focus (and commercial success) on basin centred gas, tight gas and shale gas plays. Access to onshore acreage in Australia for petroleum exploration is, in most jurisdictions, by means of a formal release process with a work program bidding system. Over-the-counter applications are available in some states based on perceived basin prospectivity. Australian state and territory governments continue initiatives to encourage exploration to realise their natural resource endowments. This includes pre-competitive basin studies, cost-effective and speedy provision of digital exploration data, transparent regulatory regimes, provision of effective land access regimes, internationally competitive royalty regimes, and promotion of acreage releases nationally and internationally.

Australian States and Northern Territory acreage update at APPEA 2010

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Peter Green
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Green Is ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Exploration And Production

Peter Green is the Geoscience Manager: Energy Geoscience in the Geological Survey Queensland and has extensive experience in basin studies, geoscience and the development of petroleum regulation in Queensland. This paper provides a summary of the land releases for petroleum exploration for onshore areas and coastal waters of Australia for 2010. The summaries include upstream petroleum acreage opportunities for the states and the Northern Territory, and geothermal energy exploration opportunities. The rise in interest in export liquefied natural gas projects has ensured petroleum exploration and production has remained strong. Interest in acquiring petroleum acreage to explore for both conventional and non-conventional plays remains high. Australian state and the Northern Territory governments continue to provide access to land and promotional opportunities for companies to undertake exploration and development of our petroleum resources. Acreage on offer provides a mix of exploration opportunities from conventional oil and gas through to the unconventional plays such as shale gas and tight gas. This change in acreage on offer reflects the changing nature of the onshore petroleum industry in Australia.

THE FISCAL SETTINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTRALIA

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 655
Author(s):  
M.J. Lawry
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Development Economics ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Time Lags ◽  
Tax Legislation ◽  
Fiscal System ◽  
Tax Benefits ◽  
Fiscal Regime ◽  
Exploration Activity

A fiscal regime must reflect the underlying characteristics of the petroleum industry. Australia’s fiscal settings do not sufficiently reflect the current and future characteristics of the industry, particularly frontier deepwater exploration activity. The fiscal system can encourage greater exploration by providing more immediate access to tax benefits for exploration for all taxpayers, adjustment of the PRRT augmentation rules to better reflect time lags and improving development economics for high risk projects. Competing international regimes exhibit a greater flexibility of fiscal terms required to attract investment. Common petroleum industry arrangements, such as farm-ins should be free from any tax uncertainty. Tax legislation should be amended on a timely basis to correct technical anomalies or uncertainties.

PETROLEUM EXPLORATION IN THE PROTEROZOIC BEETALOO SUB-BASIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Lanigan ◽  
Shane Hibbird ◽  
Sandy Menpes ◽  
John Torkington
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Hydrocarbon Potential ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
Drill Stem ◽  
Gas Potential ◽  
Unknown Sequence

Exploration over Roper Group outcrop in the McArthur Basin prompted Pacific Oil & Gas to investigate the petroleum potential of the Beetaloo Sub-basin, a 15 000 km2 Proterozoic depression concealed beneath Phanerozoic cover. Since 1989 drilling and seismic has identified a broadly flat-lying sequence with uplifted, eroded margins. A 3 500 m composite Proterozoic section consisting of three sandstone-to-mudstone sequences has been drilled. The lower two sequences comprise conformable units of the Mesoproterozoic upper Roper Group and unconformably overlying them is a previously unknown sequence comprising the informally labelled 'Jamison Sandstone' and 'Hayfield Mudstone', probably of Neoproterozoic age.Organic-rich intervals in the Roper Group mudstones range one to three per cent TOC in the Kyalla Member, and two to seven per cent TOC in the 'Middle' Velkerri Formation. Across most of the sub-basin the oil window lies within the Kyalla Member around 900–1350 m, while the 'Middle' Velkerri Formation is around 2 500 m and well into overmaturity, but may still have potential for gas. Potential reservoirs in the Bessie Creek, Moroak and 'Jamison' Sandstones, and in sandy units within the mudstones, are compromised by diagenesis, but porosities of up to 20 per cent and permeabilities of tens and rarely hundreds of millidarcies have been measured. Encouraging shows were observed in many of these intervals, and small quantities of oil and gas have been recovered in drill stem tests. With only a few targets drilled to date, this frontier area requires more exploration before its hydrocarbon potential can be adequately assessed.

Australian onshore petroleum acreage and releases 2017

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 345
Author(s):  
Jeff Haworth
Keyword(s):  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Manufacturing Industries ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Local Manufacturing ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
Exploration Activity

This paper is a compilation of material from state and territory jurisdictions regarding onshore acreage and its availability for petroleum exploration in 2017. Australian state and territory governments continue to support investment in the petroleum industry through the provision of acreage for exploration, which is promoted nationally and internationally. Updates are provided on recent upstream developments and government initiatives. Present and future policy directions that relate to onshore petroleum exploration are described, particularly for jurisdictions that are not making land available this year. When the APPEA conference was last held in Perth, in 2014, the oil price and exploration outlook were very different from today. In 2016, the petroleum industry experienced the full impact of the downturn, with the price for oil reaching a low of under $27 USD/barrel (WTI) early in the year. Several companies departed the onshore, exploration was at a fifteen-year low and much acreage has been surrendered across Australia. However, 2017 is showing signs of improvement with oil prices in the mid-50s and some hope that the industry will turn the corner this year. Low levels of exploration activity may have implications for future domestic gas supplies, and rising gas prices are of concern to local manufacturing industries and consumers throughout Australia. However, this may present marketing opportunities for successful explorers.

2013 offshore petroleum exploration acreage release

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Tania Constable
Keyword(s):  
Capital Expenditure ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Production Capacity ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Production Models ◽  
Investment Opportunities ◽  
Trading Partners ◽  
Under Construction ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

Exploration is essential for the future of Australia’s resources sector, to enhance our international competitiveness and ensure the long-term growth of this important industry while maintaining Australian energy security and that of our major energy trading partners. Encouraging investment in offshore petroleum exploration is facilitated though the annual Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release prepared in collaboration between the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, and Geoscience Australia. The annual release is underpinned by a stable economic environment, and a regulatory framework that provides the industry with a variety of investment opportunities. Australia has abundant natural gas reserves and is experiencing a rapid expansion of its LNG production capacity. Today, Australia is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of LNG, with a total export capacity of 24.3 million tonnes per annum from its three operational projects. Capacity will further increase to around 80 million tonnes per annum in 2017 once the seven projects presently under construction come online. These projects represent more than US$175 billion in capital expenditure announced since mid-2007, and result in Australia becoming the only country to use three LNG production models: conventional offshore gas with onshore LNG production; FLNG production; and, CSG-based LNG production. This paper will provide detail about the acreage included in the 2013 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release. Areas are carefully selected to offer the global petroleum industry a variety of investment opportunities. This paper will also discuss the supporting regulatory environment and new government initiatives, including the introduction of a five-year exploration strategy for acreage release and the introduction of a cash bidding system as part of future offshore petroleum acreage releases.

scholarly journals Developments in petroleum exploration in and around Greenland 1969-1974

1975 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 13-16
Author(s):  
G Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Geophysical Surveys

The rapidly increasing interest that has been shown in the petroleum potential of the Arctic during the last decade has caused attention to be focussed on the sedimentary basins of Greenland and its offshore areas. During the period up to 1966 sporadic interest was shown in the petroleum potential of onshore West Greenland. In 1966 parties from two oil companies visited Nûgssuaq and Disko. None of this work was followed up by geophysical surveys or drilling.

Review of the 2008 offshore petroleum exploration release areas

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 359
Author(s):  
Marita Bradshaw
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Water Area ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Adjacent Area ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

Each year the Australian Government releases new offshore opportunities for petroleum exploration. Thirty-five new exploration areas located across five of Australia’s offshore sedimentary basins are offered in the 2008 Release. All the areas are available through a work program bidding system with closing dates for bids at six and 12 months from the date of release. Acreage in the first round closes on 9 October 2008 and includes the more explored areas. The second closing round on 9 April 2009 comprises acreage located in less well explored and frontier regions. The 2008 exploration areas are in Commonwealth waters offshore of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and in the Territory of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands adjacent area. The 2008 Release focusses on the North West Shelf, as well as offering two new exploration areas in the Vlaming Sub-basin in the offshore Perth Basin. Seven of the new release areas are located in Australia’s major hydrocarbon producing province, the Carnarvon Basin. They include a shallow water area in the western Barrow Sub-basin and another on the Rankin Platform, three areas in deeper water in the Exmouth Sub-basin and two on the deepwater Exmouth Plateau. Six areas are available for bidding in the Browse Basin and another five in the Bedout Sub-basin of the Roebuck Basin. In the Bonaparte Basin, the 15 Release areas are located in shallow water and represent a range of geological settings, including the Vulcan and Petrel sub-basins, Ashmore Platform and Londonderry High. The 2008 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Release of 35 areas in five basins covers a wide range in size, water depth and exploration maturity to provide investment opportunities suited to both small and large explorers. The Release areas are selected from nominations from industry, the States and Territory, and Geoscience Australia. The focus of the 2008 Release is on the North West Shelf where there is strong industry interest in the producing Carnarvon and Bonaparte basins and in the Browse Basin, the home of super-giant gas fields under active consideration for development. Also included in the 2008 Release is the Bedout Sub-basin, in the Roebuck Basin, located on the central North West Shelf, between the hotly contested Carnarvon and Browse basins. In addition, the Release show-cases the southern Vlaming Sub-basin, Perth Basin, where recent studies by Geoscience Australia provide a new understanding of petroleum potential (Nicholson et al, this volume).

The role of deep seismic reflection data in understanding the architecture and petroleum potential of Australia's onshore sedimentary basins

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidena Carr ◽  
Russell Korsch ◽  
Leonie Jones ◽  
Josef Holzschuh
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Seismic Line ◽  
Seismic Reflection Data ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
Deep Seismic Reflection ◽  
Reflection Data ◽  
Stratigraphic Sequences

The onshore energy security program, funded by the Australian Government and conducted by Geoscience Australia, has acquired deep seismic reflection data across several frontier sedimentary basins to stimulate petroleum exploration in onshore Australia. Detailed interpretation of deep seismic reflection profiles from four onshore basins, focussing on overall basin geometry and internal sequence stratigraphy, will be presented here, with the aim of assessing the petroleum potential of the basins. At the southern end of the exposed part of the Mt Isa Province, northwest Queensland, a deep seismic line (06GA–M6) crosses the Burke River structural zone of the Georgina Basin. The basin here is >50 km wide, with a half graben geometry, and bounded in the west by a rift border fault. Given the overall architecture, this basin will be of interest for petroleum exploration. The Millungera Basin in northwest Queensland is completely covered by the thin Eromanga Basin and was unknown prior to being detected on two seismic lines (06GA–M4 and 06GA–M5) acquired in 2006. Following this, seismic line 07GA–IG1 imaged a 65 km wide section of the basin. The geometry of internal stratigraphic sequences and a post-depositional thrust margin indicate that the original succession was much thicker than preserved today and may have potential for a petroleum system. The Yathong Trough, in the southeast part of the Darling Basin in NSW, has been imaged in seismic line 08GA–RS2 and interpreted in detail using sequence stratigraphic principles, with several sequences being mapped. Previous studies indicate that the upper part of this basin consists of Devonian sedimentary rocks, with potential source rocks at depth. In eastern South Australia, seismic line 08GA–A1 crossed the Cambrian Arrowie Basin, which is underlain by a Neoproterozoic succession of the Adelaide Rift System. Stratigraphic sequences have been mapped and can be tied to recent drilling for mineral and geothermal exploration. Shallow drill holes from past petroleum exploration have aided the assessment of the petroleum potential of the Cambrian Hawker Group, which contains bitumen in the core, indicating the presence of source rocks in the basin system.

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