Mid-sized gas producer Westside Corporation has strengthened its foothold in Queensland after being awarded an exploration permit covering a 750km2 area in the southern Bowen Basin.
The Queensland Government announced that it had awarded exploration tenement PLR2019-1-8 to a 50-50 joint venture between Westside and Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG).
Westside will be the operator of the project, which will target coal seam and conventional gas.
The southern Bowen Basin is a proven gas-producing region, hosting the adjacent Scotia and Peat fields operated by Santos and Origin respectively for many years.
The tenement secured by Westside is 20km east of the township of Taroom. Its western boundary is adjacent to APLNG’s Peat project, which is connected to the domestic gas market via the Roma-Brisbane pipeline.
Westside CEO, Matt Wallach, said the exploration permit was an important step in Westside’s plans to increase its footprint in productive gas-producing areas in Queensland.
“The area covered by this tenement is highly attractive. It is close to the established Scotia and Peat fields with existing infrastructure connections to markets in Brisbane, Gladstone and more broadly via the Wallumbilla hub,” Mr Wallach said.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with APLNG in exploring the tenement and look forward to bringing our specialist expertise to bear in the project.”
Chair of Westside Corporation, Mike Hughes, commended the Queensland Government for bringing forward new gas exploration blocks for development.
“We have long argued that the key to energy security in Australia’s eastern seaboard is to make more prospective acreage available for exploration and production. It’s pleasing to see the Queensland Government taking steps to boost gas supply capacity,” Mr Hughes said.
