Australia: Queensland awards more gas exploration acreage

Bridgeport Energy and Metgasco have been awarded tenders to explore approximately 2,150 square kilometers of the Cooper and Eromanga Basins in southwest Queensland, Australia. 

The two companies will have to meet environmental and native title requirements with the Mithaka people and Wongkumara people before being granted exploration tenure, Natural Resources and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said in a statement.

The two companies will also have to enter into access agreements with landowners and meet other obligations before starting any exploration activities.

“The Cooper Basin is a highly prospective region that has been supplying petroleum and gas to New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland for 50 years,” Lynham said.

Bridgeport Energy has accepted an offer of three areas covering about 1,250 square kilometers and Metgasco has accepted two areas covering about 900 square kilometers, in an area bounded by Windorah, Betoota, Eromanga and the South Australian border.

Lynham noted that the exploration activities in the areas will operate under Queensland’s strict regulatory framework.

The successful tenderers are expected to conduct seismic surveys and to drill between five and 10 wells once they are granted licenses.

More than 75 percent of Queensland’s portion of the Cooper Basin is currently covered by petroleum and gas exploration or production authorities. This has seen about 1,500 wells drilled, 103,000 square kilometers of two-dimensional seismic and 7,500 km2 of three-dimensional seismic investigation undertaken.