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Queensland Company explores for gas in Bowen and Surat

Home>News>Queensland Company explores for gas in Bowen and Surat

The Minister for Resources, the Honourable Scott Stewart has announced a Queensland-based company has been given the green light under the Call for Tenders for Authorities to Prospect (PLR2020-2) to explore for gas on prospective land located in the Bowen and Surat basins.

AusGasCo CSG Pty Ltd has been appointed preferred tenderer for two blocks, located to the east and south-east of Injune, totalling 114 km².

“Not only are we are doing all we can to get more gas in the market, but we are welcoming first time junior explorers to help bring more jobs and economic benefits to Queensland. In fact, during 2020 we released a total of 8,205 km² for gas exploration to maintain a pipeline of future resources projects,” Mr Stewart said.

AusGasCo Chairman Frank Connolly said the board and team are excited to be awarded preferred tenderer for the two parcels, which will be foundation tenures for the company as a new entrant in the Queensland energy industry.

“I commend the government’s confidence in junior explorers, promoting near-term Queensland petroleum exploration and encouraging private investment in the sector. The two tenures are complemented by their location next to a number of quality, producing coal seam gas fields with multiple domestic gas transmission pipelines nearby,” Mr Connolly said.

Since 2015 the Palaszczuk Government has released more than 80,000 km² of land for gas exploration, over a quarter of it guaranteeing the gas will be for Australian consumers.

The Palaszczuk Government is also investing $5 million to investigate the feasibility of a physical 500 km gas transmission pipeline to connect the Bowen Basin to the domestic and export markets.

You can view the Minister for Resources – Hon Scott Stewart’s Media Statement here.

What does this mean for landholders?

If you’re a landholder in the Surat, Galilee or Bowen basins and wish to know more about what to expect with gas field developments, the GasFields Commission (the Commission) strongly encourages you to download a copy of our flagship publication, The Gas Guide, to obtain all the information you need to negotiate a fair and reasonable outcome should a resource company request to operate on your land.

The Gas Guide catalogues pertinent information that landholders need to know about the various stages of petroleum and gas development in Queensland – beginning with the advertisement and awarding of new exploration tenders (see Chapter 3 – Exploration Phase).

If you have any questions regarding the exploration process, Queensland’s onshore gas industry or you would like to receive a hard copy of The Gas Guide 2.0, please contact us directly via: