Updated: 20 June 2006

Australian petroleum exploration and development activity report

1 March to 30 June 2005

To view the full report, including tables and figures you can download the Petroleum Industry Statistics Report for 2^nd Quarter 2005 in PDF format.[PDF 502KB]

Highlights

A total of nine discoveries were reported in the quarter.
Offshore, three gas and two oil were made. Gas discoveries were at Black Watch in the Otway Basin, Landale in the Carnarvon Basin and Vesta in the Bonaparte Basin. Oil was discovered at Lauda and Remus in the Carnarvon Basin.
Onshore, two oil and two gas were made. Oil discoveries were made at Baystone and Dululu in the Eromanga, and Oil was discovered at Ungabilla in the Surat Basin and Matrix in the Cooper Basin.
The number of exploration wells drilled in June quarter 2005 was 28, which is down 4 wells from the previous quarter.
Offshore, drilling activity decreased to 11 wells from the previous quarter high of 22. Drilling occurred in the Carnarvon (8), Bonaparte (1) and Otway (1) Basins.
Onshore, drilling activity increased to 17 well, from the previous quarters 10. Drilling activity occurred in the Cooper/Eromanga (10), Perth (2), Surat (2) and Bowen (2) Basins.
2D seismic activity has decreased from the March quarter 2006, as no surveys were acquired offshore in the June Quarter. 3D seismic activity also decreased, reflecting reduced Offshore activity.
Offshore development completions were undertaken at Carnarvon (6) and Otway (2) Basins.
Onshore development completions were undertaken in the Cooper/Eromanga (18) and Perth (1) Basins.

[back to top]

Drilling activity

Exploration drilling for the March quarter 2005, totalled 32 wells, 9 more than drilled during the same period in 2004, but eight less than the 40 wells drilled in the previous quarter. Offshore exploration wells drilled during the March quarter 2005 totalled 22 which is 16 more than in the March quarter 2004 and six more than in the previous quarter. Eleven of these wells were drilled in the Carnarvon Basin, four in the Gippsland Basin. Three each in the Perth and Bonaparte Basins and one in the Otway Basin. Onshore exploration wells in the March quarter 2005 totalled 10 which is 14 less than the previous quarter and seven less than the March quarter 2004. Three of these wells were drilled in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin, Two each in the Perth, Bowen and Surat Basin and one in the Gippsland Basin.

Development drilling activity for the March quarter 2005 of 21 wells is five more than the March quarter 2004 and only two less than the December quarter 2004. Offshore, the number of development wells drilled during the June quarter 2005 was eight. This is six more than the previous quarter and only one less than the same quarter last year. Six of these wells were drilled in the Carnarvon basin and two in the Otway Basin. Onshore, there were 19 development wells drilled in the June quarter 2005. This is six more than the same quarter last year and the same as the previous quarter. Of these wells, 18 were drilled in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin and one in the Perth Basin.

[back to top]

Seismic survey activity

Offshore, there was no 2D seismic acquired during the June quarter 2005. This was the same as the June quarter 2004. This has continued the decline from the 11540 km of the December quarter 2004, and the 5162 km acquired in the previous March quarter. 3D seismic surveys were conducted over 1344 km² during the March quarter 2005 within Western Australia. This was 1596 km² less than the March quarter 2005 total. These surveys were conducted in the Carnarvon Basin.

Onshore, a total of 751 km of 2D seismic was acquired during the June quarter 2005. This is only 185 km more than the June quarter 2004. The previous March quarter had no 2D seismic acquired. These surveys were conducted in the Carnarvon Basin. 3D seismic surveys were undertaken over 374 km², which is 556 km² less than the previous quarter. These surveys were carried out in the Cooper/Eromanga and Perth Basins.

[back to top]

Rig activity

The number of active rigs at the end of June 2005 was fourteen, five less than at the end of March 2005 (19) and one less than at the end of June 2004 (15). The number of active rigs during the quarter ranged from seventeen during April decreasing to fourteen active at the end of the quarter.

Offshore, the number of available rigs during the June quarter 2005 was down compared to the March quarter 2005, with eleven rigs available in April, ten in May and nine available in June. Rig availability for the June quarter 2005 has remained at the same levels compared to the previous March quarter and is slightly above that of the June quarter 2004. Active rigs were drilling in the Bonaparte, Carnarvon, Perth, and Otway Basins.

Onshore, the number of active rigs during the quarter ended June 2004 varied between six and seven, which is less than the previous quarter where it was between seven and nine active rigs. The Rig availability for the June quarter 2005 has also decreased compared to the March quarter 2005, but is consistent with the June quarter 2004. Activity for the quarter ranged from 50% to 43%. Active rigs were drilling in the Perth, Cooper/Eromanga, Bowen and Surat Basins.

[back to top]

Success rates

The success rates shown in Table 7 are based on the number of petroleum discoveries and new-field wildcat wells drilled in Australia onshore and offshore from 1992 to 2004. No assumptions have been made about whether a discovery has proved or will prove to be commercial. Geoscience Australia defines a discovery as a well from which a measurable amount of oil or gas has been recovered and also includes those discoveries inferred from well logs.