Queensland Government Working to Secure More Domestic Gas

Queensland-based energy company Comet Ridge Limited has been given the green light for a new Bowen Basin based project which will see more domestic gas being made available for the market.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart said Queensland-based energy company Comet Ridge has been granted an Authority to Prospect (ATP) over a 338km² parcel of land located in the gas rich Bowen Basin.

“The new ATP allows Comet Ridge to begin exploration for new sources of gas while utilising their existing gas infrastructure in the region to plug straight in and get gas to market faster,” Mr Stewart said.

“The new Mahalo Far East project will invest about $5.5 million over six years into the state and local economies. Supporting exploration in Queensland and maintaining a pipeline of resources projects means more gas for local industry and more jobs.”

Comet Ridge Managing Director Tor McCaul said the Mahalo Far East block contains a very large gas in place volume and is an important upside addition to the Mahalo Hub area.

The award of Mahalo Far East follows the award of Mahalo North in April 2020 and Mahalo East in September 2020, giving Comet Ridge a combined ATP area of approximately 885km².

“Combining these blocks and sharing one large development for the whole Mahalo Hub area will provide greater efficiency and scale economy, as well as a material injection of gas into the east coast market, at a critical time,” Mr McCaul said.

“Importantly, a proportion of this Mahlo Hub gas is earmarked for the domestic market.”

To view Minister for Resources – Hon Scott Stewart’s Media Statement, visit: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/92066

What does this mean for landholders?

If you’re a landholder in the Surat, Galilee or Bowen basins and wish to know more about what to expect with gas field developments, the GasFields Commission (the Commission) strongly encourages you to download a copy of our flagship publication, The Gas Guide 2.0, to obtain all the information you need to negotiate a fair and reasonable outcome should a resource company request to operate on your land.

Gas Guide 2.0 catalogues pertinent information that landholders need to know about the various stages of petroleum and gas development in Queensland – beginning with the advertisement and awarding of new exploration tenders (see Chapter 3 – Exploration Phase).

If you have any questions regarding the exploration process, Queensland’s onshore gas industry or you would like to receive a hard copy (ring binder) of The Gas Guide 2.0, please contact us directly via:

• Web: Contact Form
• Phone: (07) 3067 9400
• Email: enquiries@gfcq.org.au

Who are the GasFields Commission Queensland?

Established as an independent statutory body in 2013, the Commission’s purpose is to manage and improve the sustainable coexistence of landholders, regional communities and the onshore gas industry in Queensland. The Commission manages sustainable coexistence in petroleum and gas producing regions of Queensland, and will continue to do so as the industry expands into new and emerging basins.

Our vision is to achieve thriving communities in areas of gas development that are free from discord and supported by well-informed, respectful and balanced stakeholder relationships.

One way the Commission is endeavouring to realise this vision is by providing transparency and independent assurances that the onshore gas industry is appropriately regulated and held to account when needed. This in turn will help cultivate sustainable coexistence, whilst ensuring community and landholder confidence in the regulators and gas industry increases.

Drawing on its wealth of experience in the development of the gas industry and by collaborating with other relevant entities, the Commission provides a range of support to communities and landholders, primarily through education and engagement. These education and engagement activities occur with individual landholders via Commission facilitated webinars, information sessions, publications (The Gas Guide, Shared Landscapes Reports), face-to-face meetings and public workshops.

It should be noted that the Commission does not engage in individual negotiations between landholders and gas companies, but rather provides communities and landholders with the information and support they need to make informed decisions and achieve good outcomes.