To view the full report, including tables and figures you can download the Petroleum Industry Statistics Report for 1st Quarter 2004 in PDF format. [PDF 419KB]

Highlights

• A total of seven discoveries were reported all of which were onshore.
  Four gas discoveries were reported in the Cooper / Eromanga Basin (three in South Australia and one in Queensland), one gas discovery in the Gippsland Basin and one gas discovery in the Perth Basin. There was an oil discovery reported in the Cooper / Eromanga Basin of South Australia.
• Offshore drilling activity (7 wells) is the lowest March quarter drilling activity for a number of years. Drilling occurred in the Carnarvon Basin (5 wells) and the Browse Basin (2 wells).
• Onshore drilling activity (20 wells) is at its highest level since December 1998 and is 3 wells more than the number drilled in the December quarter of 2003. Drilling was undertaken in the Cooper / Eromanga (12 wells), Bowen / Surat (4 wells), Perth (3 wells) and Gippsland (1 well) Basins.
• 2D offshore seismic survey acquisition decreased compared to the previous December quarter 2003 and is also lower than the March quarter 2003. 3D offshore seismic survey acquisition is higher than the December and March quarters of 2003. All of the 3D acquisition occurred in Western Australia whilst 2D acquisition occurred in NSW - the first seismic acquisition for many years
• Offshore development completions were undertaken at Bayu / Undan in the Bonaparte Basin, Marlin in the Gippsland Basin, Exeter, Gudrun, Linda and Scindian in the Carnarvon Basin.
• Onshore developments were undertaken at Whicher Range in the Perth Basin, Myall Creek in the Surat Basin and Big Lake, Gidgealpa, Swan Lake in the South Australian portion of the Cooper / Eromanga Basin and Challum in the Queensland portion of the Cooper / Eromanga Basin.

Drilling activity

Exploration drilling for the March quarter 2004 (27 wells) is three less than drilled during the same period in 2003 (30) wells and is one more than the 26 wells drilled in the previous quarter.

Offshore exploration wells drilled during the March quarter 2004 (7) is thirteen less than the twenty of the March quarter 2003 and two less than in the previous quarter. Drilling was carried out in the Carnarvon (5) Basin and the Browse Basin.

Onshore exploration wells drilled during the March quarter 2004 (20) is three more than the seventeen wells of the previous quarter and nine more than the nine wells of the March quarter last year. Twelve of these wells were drilled in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin, four in the Bowen/Surat Basin and one in the Perth Basin

Development drilling activity for the first quarter of 2004 (15) is thirteen less than the previous quarter (28) and is three less than for the same period last year (18).

Offshore , the number of development wells drilled during the March quarter of 2004 (7) is two less than the previous quarter. These wells were drilled in the Bonaparte (2), Carnarvon (4), Gippsland (1)

Onshore , development wells drilled in the fourth quarter (8) is seven less than the fifteen wells of the previous quarter. This is one less than the figure drilled in the corresponding period of 2003 (9). Six wells were drilled in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin, one in the Perth Basin and one in the Surat Basin.

Seismic survey activity

Offshore , 2D seismic surveys recorded 6636 line km during the December quarter of 2003. These surveys were carried out in the Otway, Perth and Sorell Basins. There were no 2D surveys recorded in the September quarter 2003. 3D seismic surveys recorded 1294 km². There were no 3D surveys recorded during the September quarter. The surveys were undertaken in the Carnarvon, Otway and Perth Basins.

Onshore , There were no 2D seismic surveys completed during the December quarter of 2003. 3D seismic surveys were undertaken over 424 km² in the Cooper and Surat Basins. This is a significant increase on the 92 km² of the previous quarter and the 87 km² for the same period in 2002.

Rig Activity

The total number of active rigs during the March 2004 quarter was forty-three, four less than in March 2003 (47). Rig activity during the quarter ranged from 13 to 16 rigs active at the end of the quarter.

Offshore , the number of active rigs remained steady at five for each month, with inactive rigs at three, three and one during the quarter. Active rigs were drilling in the Browse, Bonaparte, Carnarvon and Gippsland Basins.

Onshore , the number of active rigs varied between eight and eleven, which is similar than in the same period last year (9-10). The total number of inactive rigs ranged from 10 to thirteen.

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This publication includes the following: preliminary statistics for wells and metres drilled, seismic survey line and square kilometres recorded and rig activity, to the end of March 2004. The data from which these statistics are derived have been compiled by Geoscience Australia from various sources, including the petroleum exploration industry and State and Northern Territory departments of mines.