Shell Australia Pty Ltd was awarded exploration permit AC/P64, located in the Browse Basin, on 20 September 2018.Â  The permit has been awarded for a period of six years and will expire, or be eligible for renewal, on 19 September 2024.Â  The permit was applied for after being offered as block AC17-4 in the 2017 Offshore Acreage Release.  Work commitments have been assigned for the duration of the permitâs validity.Â  In the first three years, which are one term and are part of the committed work programme, the operator is required to licence data from the Cygnus and Onnia seismic surveys, reprocess Cygnus 3D data, undertake geological and geophysical studies and to drill on exploration well. In years four, five and six, the contingent work programme at this stage, further geological and geophysical studies are outlined in all years, as well as an additional well in year five, between September 2022 and September 2023, and post-well studies in year six.  The permit was one of three awarded to Shell on this date, with AC/P65 and WA-534-P also granted.  In AC/P64 there are two historical wells: Maret 1 drilled in 1991 and Circinus 1 drilled in 1999.Â  The wells encountered oil and gas shows and were dry, respectively.  AC/P64, which covers an area of 500 sq km, was awarded on 20 September 2018.Â  Shell Australia Pty Ltd holds 100% interest and operatorship of the permit.
Shell Australia Pty Ltd was awarded exploration permit AC/P64, located in the Browse Basin,