Queensland to Restart 2020 Exploration Tender
The Queensland government said on May 6 it would restart the tenders under the 2020 Queensland exploration programme, first announced in February, which will open more than 7,000 km2 of land for coal, oil and gas exploration. In March, the state government had placed the tender releases on hold.
Under the new schedule, the proposed tenders will open for coal and petroleum in May, with exploration rights to be awarded to successful bidders by September 2020. The government is offering up 12 oil and gas areas in the Bowen and Surat basins. The tender areas provide opportunities for coal-bed methane and other unconventional gas, as well as conventional oil and gas exploration.
The Queensland government also announced plans on May 6 to provide relief measures to protect the exploration sector from the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.