Queensland backs oil and gas hunt with major acreage awards

• Acreage awarded to secure Queensland’s resources future
• Oil and gas tenders awarded for five areas in the Cooper-Eromanga Basin and Taroom Trough
• Exploration forms part of a wider land release to boost gas supply and put downward pressure on prices.
• Land release giving resources industry the investment certainty it needs

The Queensland Government has added weight to its push to boost east coast energy supplies with the award of tenders for new petroleum and gas acreage in the Cooper-Eromanga Basin and Taroom Trough.

In the Cooper-Eromanga Basin, the successful tenderers include Bridgeport Energy (approximately 2,712 sq. km across permits PLR2026-1-4, PLR2026-1-5, and PLR2026-1-11) and Vintage Energy (approximately 625 sq. km across PLR2026-1-3).

A consortium that includes XST Taroom, Cooper Energy, Imperial Oil and Gas and Eastern States Energy has been awarded a tender to explore for oil and gas over 306 sq.km  across PLR2026-1-7 in the Taroom Trough. 

These new tenders are in addition to the three highly prospective acreages announced last month in the Taroom Trough, along with three awarded in the Cooper-Eromanga Basin and one in the Bowen/Surat Basin in 2025.

Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dale Last, said the sheer interest in the tenders and commitment from proponents to sign up for new acreage was a vote of confidence in the future of Queensland’s resources sector. 

“We know more supply is the only solution to bring down the cost of energy, and this acreage opens more land for exploration and future projects,” Minister Last said.

“Regional Queensland has a major role to play in our state’s resources future, and I look forward to seeing that investment translate into opportunities on the ground.”

Bridgeport Energy MD and CEO Christian Lange, said the blocks would build on the company’s established presence in the Cooper-Eromanga Basin.

“Bridgeport is 100% Australian-owned and operated, with 891 square kilometres of net oil-producing acreage across nine production projects in the Cooper-Eromanga Basin,” Mr Lange said.

“These blocks are a natural extension of that footprint, and we see real potential for future oil and gas production in the area.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Crisafulli Government to help meet Queensland’s and Australia’s long-term energy needs.”

Vintage Energy MD Neil Gibbins said the need for new supply of gas and petroleum liquids has never been more apparent.

“The release of these blocks will enable the identification and testing of new targets in a proven oil and gas province,” Mr Gibbins said.

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