Inpex Oil & Gas Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of INPEX Corp, was awarded exploration permit AC/P66, located in the Bonaparte Basin, on 12 July 2019. The permit has been awarded for a period of six years and will expire, or be eligible for renewal, on 11 July 2025.  The block was awarded after being offered as block W18-1 in the 2018 Offshore Federal Acreage Release.  Work commitments include the acquisition and processing of 1,020 sq km of 3D seismic data along with geotechnical studies in years one to three, the drilling of a well and post-drill geotechnical studies in year four, and further geological and geophysical studies each in years five and six.  11 wells have so far been drilled within the permit without success, however the permit is located on trend with, and in close proximity to, a number of oil fields including the abandoned Jaribu, Challis and Cassini fields.  AC/P66, which covers an area of 3,450 sq km, was awarded on 11 July 2019.Â  Inpex Oil & Gas Australia Pty Ltd holds 100% operated interest in the permit.
Inpex secured rights to the AC/P66, 3,450 sq km block, E. of the Ashmore & Cartier Islands, SW of Laminaria oil field, WDs 60-500m. Originally offered as AC18-1 in the 2018 Offshore Federal Acreage Release.