- Eight onshore blocks released for petroleum
exploration
- WA's petroleum sector remains a key contributor
to State's economic growth
Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston is inviting
industry to bid on eight onshore areas for petroleum exploration in Western
Australia.
The blocks are located across the Canning, Northern
Carnarvon, Amadeus, and Perth Basins, and vary in size from 400 to 7,070 square
kilometres.
The release provides explorers with new opportunities to invest
in WA's petroleum sector and offers long-term support in developing the State's
oil and gas resources.
Successful applicants may be granted an exploration permit that allows
them to conduct exploration activities, within the specified title for a period
of six years.
All applications are subject to further approvals by the Department of
Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety before any exploration activity can take
place.
The Department conducted a comprehensive assessment of environmental constraints,
multiple land use planning, and native title considerations before releasing
the blocks.
Hydraulic fracturing will not be authorised within any of
the exploration permits.
This will be the only petroleum acreage release for 2023,
with the application period closing at 4pm on 19 January 2024. For more information, visit https://dmirs.wa.gov.au/acreage_release
Comments attributed to Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston:
"WA's petroleum sector remains an important contributor to
our State's ongoing economic success, with more than 12,600 workers employed in
oil and gas.
"Energy Policy WA modelling found gas will continue to play
an important role, with 3.9 gigawatts of new gas generation required to support
the uptake of renewable energy by 2030.
"The Cook Government is
committed to ensuring best-practice regulatory frameworks are in place for
petroleum exploration - at no point will we compromise on environmental
standards.
"The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation
and Safety and other Government agencies rigorously
assess all WA petroleum activities and undertake regular environmental and
safety compliance audits."
