The Australian Federal Offshore Government has released the date for the Australian 2020 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release, as Wednesday 26 August 2020, to coincide with APPEA's ReConnect event. Release areas will be made available following the launch which is scheduled in an online session to conform with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions. Consultation for the blocks to be potentially included closed on 29 June 2020. The consultation period, which opened on 4 May 2020, allowed a period for comment and feedback on the proposed release areas to be reviewed before being considered for endorsement by the government.   There were 49 blocks proposed for release, covering a combined area of 176,186 sq km. The blocks are located across the Bonaparte, Browse, Gippsland, North Carnarvon, South Carnarvon, Otway and Perth Basins. The areas proposed for offer range in size from 70 sq km to 21,726 sq km.  Though it was open for consultation, and having been nominated for release by industry, there is no guarantee that the areas will be released. The government will consider the areas alongside any comments submitted during consultation before the final round is announced.    The nomination period, to submit areas for consideration for inclusion in the 2020 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release, closed as of 31 January 2020. The nomination period was open to allow companies to submit areas for release in the next offshore bid round. Nominated areas were considered for release in the 2020 offshore block release, prior to public consultation.  The government reported that all nominations will be considered, but that nominating an area does not guarantee its inclusion in the round. Companies are not required to bid for areas they nominated, if included in the 2020 Acreage Release. However, the government does indicate that "nominations should demonstrate a genuine intent to start activities in the immediate term". It is also reported that though there are no restrictions on the number of nominations that can be submitted, this may be evaluated if "areas are not routinely bid on" or if "nominations consistently lack a well-considered rationale".  The 2020 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release was expected to be opened in mid-2020, with bidding then closing in March 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the postponement of the 2020 APPEA conference (due to be held in Perth) the release was delayed. The round will be the second under new policies, which has seen the streamlining of the blocks offer and making it more transparent, with only one closing date for the blocks. Previously they have been open in two tranches.   Any nominations submitted between the 2019 round opening and January 2020 were considered for inclusion in the 2020 Acreage Offer. This is also part of the governmentâs new policy, with nominations able to be submitted at any time, rather than during a set timeframe.  The nomination period was opened, to coincide with the 2019 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release that commenced on 31 July 2019. A total of 64 blocks, over 120,000 sq km was available for bidding in the 2019 round.          Australian   2020 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release - proposed blocks             Block Name         Basin         Area (Sq Km)             AC20-1         Bonaparte          1,409             AC20-2         Bonaparte          3,143             AC20-3         Bonaparte          3,401             AC20-4         Bonaparte          1,588             AC20-5         Bonaparte          84             NT20-1         Bonaparte          3,881             NT20-2         Bonaparte          2,779             NT20-3         Bonaparte          6,274             NT20-4         Bonaparte          4,376             NT20-5         Bonaparte          4,250             NT20-6         Bonaparte          6,650             NT20-7         Bonaparte          9,445             NT20-8         Bonaparte          6,851             W20-1         Bonaparte          2,049             W20-2         Bonaparte          10,480             AC20-6         Browse          2,251             W20-3         Browse          946             W20-4         Browse          7,136             W20-5         Browse          2,402             W20-6         Browse          3,402             W20-7         Browse          4,740             W20-8         Browse          3,875             W20-9         Browse          5,286             V20-2         Gippsland          70             V20-3         Gippsland          471             V20-4         Gippsland          1,621             W20-29         North Carnarvon & South   Carnarvon         21,540             W20-30         North Carnarvon &   South Carnarvon         21,726             W20-21         North Carnarvon          811             W20-22         North Carnarvon          1,616             W20-28         North Carnarvon          160             W20-10         North Carnarvon          5,450             W20-11         North Carnarvon          4,868             W20-12         North Carnarvon          403             W20-13         North Carnarvon          241             W20-14         North Carnarvon          161             W20-15         North Carnarvon          805             W20-16         North Carnarvon          517             W20-17         North Carnarvon          401             W20-18         North Carnarvon          607             W20-19         North Carnarvon          160             W20-20         North Carnarvon          1,117             W20-23         North Carnarvon          323             W20-24         North Carnarvon          161             W20-25         North Carnarvon          81             W20-26         North Carnarvon          641             W20-27         North Carnarvon          562             V20-1         Otway          2,576             W20-31         Perth          12,399             Source: IHS Markit         Â          Â© 2020 IHS Markit
The Australian Federal Offshore Government has released the date for the Australian 2020 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release, as Wednesday 26 August 2020, to coincide with APPEA's ReConnect event. Release areas will be made available following the launch which is scheduled in an online session to conform with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions.