On 31 July 2019, the Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science opened the federal 2019 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release. A total of 64 blocks, covering approximately 120,000 sq km, have been opened for a single round of work programme bidding across the Browse, Bonaparte, Roebuck, North Carnarvon, Otway and Gippsland basins.   All blocks are due to close on 5 March 2020 under a new system that is seeing one closing date (rather than the usual two tranches that had been previously used) as well as other changes to nomination, consultation and negotiation, with an aim to streamline the bidding process and make it more efficient.  In the Bonaparte Basin, 15 blocks have been released: six in the Petrel Sub-basin, surrounding the Blacktip field and Frigate, Tern discoveries. Eight blocks are in the Vulcan Sub-basin, near the Cash-Maple and Montara fields. The largest block to be released, covering 17,550 sq km, is located in the Londonderry High, between Cash/Maple and the Prometheus/Rubicon fields.  In the Vulcan Sub-basin are all the Ashmore-Cartier, Bonaparte Basin blocks. AC19-1 covers an area of 251 sq km and contains one dry well.Â  The block is adjacent to the Oliver discovery, which is outlined for potential development as part of a Cash-Maple project.  AC19-2 covers 84 sq km.Â  No wells are located within the block area, but it contains part of the Pickwick Prospect.Â  It is adjacent to PTTEPâs Audacious oil discovery.  AC19-3 covers an area of 1,422 sq km and contains nine wells.Â  Five of these were dry, but the Arunta 1, Casuarina 1, Delamere 1 and Ironstone 1 wells all encountered shows. The block contains the Jabiru oil and gas field, which was the first to produce in the Bonaparte Basin.Â  The field was abandoned in 2010.Â  AC19-3 also contains the Pengana sub-commercial gas discovery.  AC19-4, which covers an area of 837 sq km, contains two dry wells.Â  It is adjacent to the Cash-Maple discovery, in which PTTEP is looking for a partner to help with development.Â  Pre-FEED and concept select was ongoing in 2019.  AC19-5 and AC19-6 both cover areas of 167 sq km, and neither contains any wells. AC19-5 is also adjacent to Cash-Maple. AC19-6 is adjacent to the Swift, Swallow and Skua fields, which produce as part of the Montara oil project.  AC19-7 cover 83 sq km and contains one dry well, as well as several prospects outlined by previous operators.  AC19-8, which covers an area of 83 sq km, contains the Leeuwin 1 well which encountered gas shows.Â  It is adjacent to the Montara field, which is producing with further development planned by operator Jadestone.  In the Petrel Sub-basin there are six blocks. Two of these lie in Northern Territory waters. NT19-1 covers 6,417 sq km, though contains no wells.Â  It is adjacent to the Petrel gas discovery, which is currently being evaluated for development, potentially with the Frigate Deep and Tern discoveries. NT19-2 covers 2,686 sq km and contains the Barnett oil discovery.Â  It has been considered for development with adjacent field Turtle, but remains undeveloped to date.  The remaining Petrel Sub-basin blocks are located within Western Australian waters. W19-1 covers 3,699 sq km, containing no wells.Â  It is adjacent to the Tern and Petrel discoveries.  W19-2 covers an area of 897 sq km and also contains no wells. It is adjacent to the Penguin and Blacktip gas discoveries. The latter is producing.  W19-3 covers 4,644 sq km and is also adjacent to the Blacktip gas field.Â  It contains the Lesueur 1 well, which encountered gas shows and also a dry well.  W19-4 covers 1,221 sq km and contains the Turtle oil discovery.Â  As mentioned, this was outlined for potential development with Barnett, in NT-19-2.  In the Londonderry High is the largest of the release blocks for 2019, with W18-5 covering 17,550 sq km.Â  It contains seven wells: five dry and the Plover 2 and Whimbrel 1 wells encountering gas shows.Â  It is adjacent to the Rubicon and Prometheus gas discoveries.  The round consisting of 64 blocks is considerably larger than in previous years, when between 20 and 40 blocks has been usual. However, the amount of acreage on offer (just over 120,000 sq km) has not seen a significant increase, and is in fact less than the total acreage offered each year in 2017 and 2018.
On 31 July 2019, the Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science opened the federal 2019 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release. A total of 64 blocks, covering approximately 120,000 sq km, have been opened for a single round of work programme bidding across the Browse, Bonaparte, Roebuck, North Carnarvon, Otway and Gippsland basins. 