Santos takes up the search for more gas as ‘plug-in’ opportunity
Santos will start the exploration of 2000 square kilometres of Queensland in the search for gas.
Santos will start the search for more gas in the Surat and Bowen basins.
More than half the area under exploration can only be developed for the domestic market.
Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said Santos and Denison Gas were the latest to take up the hunt for gas.
Santos would seek new gas between Chinchilla and Roma while Denison Gas would start exploring for gas near Emerald.
“This is about unlocking more gas for local manufacturing, industrial users, and securing Aussie jobs,” Lynham said.
“Santos will explore across more than 2000 square kilometres of highly prospective areas in Queensland’s world-class Surat and Bowen Basins.
“Santos is a proven gas explorer and producer and has been pumping gas in Queensland for the past 50 years.
“They will be able to use their existing gas infrastructure and plug straight in and get gas to market faster.”
Denison Gas will explore for gas to supply to Australian-only users from 568 square kilometres of land southeast of Emerald in the Bowen Basin.
“This means gas explorers are working more than 7000 square kilometres of land in Queensland for gas for the Australian market,” Dr Lynham said.
The latest tenures come on the back of more than 6700 square kilometres of land being opened to tender for gas exploration between Blackwater and Goondiwindi last week.
Since 2015 this Government has released nearly 80,000 square kilometres of land for gas exploration with over a quarter of it guaranteed for the Australian domestic market.
