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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Non peer reviewed)

Australian states and Northern Territory acreage update at APPEA 2011

Bill Tinapple
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WA Department of Mines and Petroleum

The APPEA Journal 51(1) 79-94 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ10004
Published: 2011

Abstract

Bill’s presentation is on behalf of the NT, Queensland, NSW, Victoria, SA and WA. Some highlights are:

• NT: 24 onshore exploration applications were received in 2010 (an increase of 50 % from 2009). About 479,100 sq km of the NT is now under application, including grassroots areas.

• Queensland: In 2011, a variety of exploration opportunities are being offered in basins ranging in age from Precambrian to Cretaceous. Targets include conventional oil and gas as well as shale gas.

• NSW: There are now more than 800 unallocated petroleum exploration blocks, including the Darling Basin, the Tamworth Moratorium area, and the Oaklands Basin Moratorium area.

• Victoria: Acreage release is proposed for the onshore Otway Basin in 2011.

• SA: The CO2010 acreage release, comprising three blocks in the Cooper and Eromanga basins, closed on 10 March 2011.

• WA: To coincide with the APPEA Conference, acreage has been made available for bidding from the Canning Basin, Northern Carnarvon Basin, Officer Basin and Perth Basin.

Bill Tinapple is executive director of Petroleum for the Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum. He has been with the department for 13 years.

During that time, WA’s oil and gas industry has continued to expand, maintaining an active exploration industry. Spending for 2009–10 was at $2.5 billion per year, and a huge investment in upstream development estimated at $64 billion for projects was committed and under construction.

Bill has assisted in a number of new initiatives, which have been focused on improved customer service, increasing investment in WA, and sustaining production. Prior to coming to WA he was in the NT carrying out similar administrative duties. In addition to 20 years of government administration, he has a wide range of upstream petroleum industry experience, working in several international locations.

Bill’s qualifications were in engineering with a Masters of Business Administration.

bill.tinapple@dmp.wa.gov.au