Call for Tenders for Authorities to Prospect (PLR2021-1)

⁠⁠⁠The Queensland Government has released eight prospective petroleum and gas areas totalling approximately 14, 400 km2 (4673 sub-blocks) via competitive tender without a cash bid component for petroleum and gas exploration in Queensland’s Bowen, Surat, Adavale and Eromanga basins.

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, local government 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 Authority to Prospect (ATP) may be granted for a term of six years under the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (P&G Act). Following grant, the ATP holder will also need to complete land access and potentially other approval requirements before commencing on-ground exploration.