- Galilee Energy is one of several winners in a recent competitive tender process opened up by the Queensland Government to increase gas supply along the
- Galilee, Senex, Sajawin and a Shell/Santos joint venture were awarded exploration contracts for a total of 2,793 square kilometres
- The Queensland Government has opened an addition 3,700 square kilometres of acreage, and the new tenders open today
Junior oil and gas exploration company Galilee Energy has been awarded a 384 square kilometre exploration area by the Queensland Government in the most recent release of petroleum resources areas.
Galilee was given the acreage following a non-cash consideration as part of a competitive tender process. The Queensland Government opened up more than 6,600 square kilometres of unexplored land for tender in November last year.
The land was unlocked to help ease gas supply constraints in the east-coast and loosen up the market for local gas manufacturers.
Galilee says the land, which is located in the Surat Basin exploration area, is significantly under-explored and the company will use contemporary exploration technology to help understand the high prospective area.
Managing Director Peter Lansom said Galilee is delighted to have been awarded the acreage and given an opportunity to help deliver a new gas supply to the east coast of Australia.
“Galilee applaud the efforts of the Queensland Government in addressing gas supply concerns by opening up the market to junior and mid-tier explorers to provide diversity and efficiency, to explore and develop new areas and thereby drive growth in regional areas,” he said.
Galilee was one of four winners in the competitive tender process. Other winners include a Shell/Santos joint venture and new entrant Sajawin, who were awarded 1,212 and 1,044 square kilometre blocks, respectively. Junior oil and gas company Senex was also awarded a 153 square kilometre block in the Surat Basin area.
Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Dr Anthony Lynham told today’s APPEA conference in Brisbane that Queensland is striving to keep manufacturers in business,
“Queensland’s been doing the heavy lifting on gas supply for several years now, and we’re keeping up the pace.
“We want to see more petajoules of Queensland gas in pipes, more jobs in Queensland, and our gas driving jobs in Australian manufacturing,” he said.
On top of the announcement of the Surat Basin awards, a new round of bids has been called to explore 3,700 square kilometres of land near Springsure in Central Queensland with the new tenders opening today.