February 2015Amendment to the proposed areas for the 2015 Offshore Petroleum

Exploration Acreage ReleaseSince notification of the areas proposed for the 2015 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release (Acreage Release) in the 9 December 2014 edition of the Australian Petroleum News, changes to the proposed areas have been made.

Browse Basin - additional area on the Yampi Shelf – W15-18 Gippsland Basin – re-shaping of proposed areas V15-2 and V15-3

An updated map outlining the 29 proposed areas currently shortlisted for inclusion is at the end of this newsletter. Please note the proposed areas and associated boundaries remain subject to change, until the 2015 Acreage Release is officially launched by the Hon Ian Macfarlane MP, Minister for Industry and Science, at the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) conference in Melbourne on 18 May 2015.

Any work or forward planning undertaken by companies in relation to the proposed areas prior to the official launch is done at the commercial risk and cost of individual operators. Without prejudice to the final content of the 2015 Acreage Release, updated shape files of the proposed areas as set out in the map below are available on the department’s website.

2014 Cash Bidding auction resultsThe cash bidding auction for the 2014 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release was held on 5 February 2015. Three bidders prequalified for the auction. At the close of the auction, no bids had been received and as a result, areas W14-20, W14-21, W14-22 and W14-23 have reverted to vacant acreage.

Petroleum exploration opportunities – 2014 Acreage Release round 2

Closing date Thursday 2 April 2015This round includes 12 areas and two rerelease areas from round 1. Entities that have entered into a Good Standing Arrangement with the Joint Authority are encouraged to review the rerelease areas. It is the responsibility of entities that have entered into a Good Standing Arrangement to maintain good standing with the Joint Authority.

AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM NEWS | www.petroleum-acreage.gov.au 1

Geoscience Australia provides precompetitive geological data associated with the release areas at the cost of transfer; the data package can be ordered by emailing ausgeodata@ga.gov.au .

Please note the website contains the most up to date information.

Area Basin Sub basin

AC14-1 Bonaparte Vulcan

W14-1 Bonaparte Petrel

W14-6 Northern Carnarvon Rankin Platform

W14-8, W14-9, W14-10, W14-11, W14-12 and W14-13

Northern Carnarvon Exmouth Plateau

W14-17 and W14-18 Northern Carnarvon Exmouth

W14-19 Bight Eyre

Re-release areas

W14-3 Browse Caswell

W14-14 Northern Carnarvon Barrow

Are you on our distribution list?This newsletter is prepared by the Offshore Exploration Section, Resources Division, Australian Government Department of Industry and Science.

If you or your colleagues would like to receive this newsletter, please send your email address to: petroleum.exploration@industry.gov.au.

If you change your email address please notify the Offshore Exploration Section.

There is no charge for this service. This distribution list is not used for purposes other than notifying registered parties of relevant petroleum issues.

Postal Address: GPO Box 9839, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia Email: petroleum.exploration@industry.gov.au Website: www.petroleum-acreage.gov.au

AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM NEWS | www.petroleum-acreage.gov.au 2

2015 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release – Proposed Areas as at February 2015