As per the Queensland government, Santos will be pursuing new gas between Chinchilla and Roma by exploring across more than 2000km2 areas in the Surat and Bowen basins.
The acreage bagged by the company is located east of Roma with two of the permits dedicated to only domestic gas supply. The other two exploration blocks will be allowed to supply gas to both domestic and LNG markets, said the company.
As per the Queensland government, Santos will be pursuing new gas between Chinchilla and Roma by exploring across more than 2000km2 areas in the Surat and Bowen basins.
According to Santos managing director and CEO Kevin Gallagher, the gas exploration permits offer scope for domestic and LNG development near existing infrastructure and adjacent to the company-owned coal seam gas pilot activities.
Santos expects to get the new gas faster to the markets
Kevin Gallagher said: “This means Santos will be able to get gas to market faster and at a lower cost of supply, which is the best way to put downward pressure on gas prices.
“Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Anthony Lynham, has been a great supporter of the gas industry in Queensland, ensuring there is an ongoing pipeline of new supply opportunities so that explorers and producers like Santos can unlock gas for local manufacturers and electricity generators and provide long-term security of gas supply at competitive prices.”
Apart from Santos, the Queensland government has awarded 568km2 acreage located south-east of Emerald in the Bowen Basin to Denison Gas. The gas, if found in the awarded land by Denison Gas, will be supplied only to Australian users, said the Queensland government.
Recently, the government said that it is offering up to 6700kms2 of land for gas exploration in the Bowen and Surat basins located between Blackwater and Goondiwindi. In this connection, Minister Anthony Lynham said that 12 prospective parcels of land will be available for hosting the new gas industry activity in Queensland.
The Queensland government claimed that since 2015, it has opened up approximately 80,000km2 of land for gas exploration. It added that more than a quarter of the land has been guaranteed for supplying gas to the Australian domestic market. (May 26, 2020)
AUSTRALIA - Natural Gas - GENERAL INFORMATION