The Queensland Government has released one prospective petroleum and gas area totalling approximately 18 km2 (6 sub-blocks) via competitive tender for petroleum and gas exploration in Queensland’s Surat Basin.

This area has been released via competitive tender without a cash bidding component for an Authorities to Prospect (ATP).

To ensure a portion of the gas produced from this area is supplied exclusively to the manufacturing sector within the domestic market, any ATP for the tender area PLR2018-1-2 (totalling approximately 18 km2) will be subject to an Australian market supply condition under the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (P&G Act) for the whole of the area of the ATP. In the event a petroleum lease (PL) is later granted over all or part of the area of PLR2018-1-2, the whole of the area of the PL will also be subject to an Australian market supply condition under the P&G Act. In addition, any ATP and subsequent PL will be subject to a condition that any gas produced is to be consumed by the Australian manufacturing sector.

The Queensland Government has engaged with directly affected landowners, native title parties, overlapping resource tenure holders and local councils. Regional natural resource management groups along with agricultural, environmental and industry peak bodies have also been informed about this opportunity.

A preferred tenderer must meet environmental, native title and other approval requirements before an ATP may be granted for an initial term of six years under the P&G Act. On grant, the ATP-holder will also need to complete land access and potentially other approval requirements before commencing on-ground exploration.