First time gas explorers get green light to dig west of Toowoomba

A new gas company has thanked the State Government for trusting the ‘junior’ explorers after they were granted approval to explore gas over 114 square kilometres.

IMPRESSIVE: The Moranbah Gas Project (MGP) coal seam gas processing plant in the Bowen Basin. Photo Simon Green / CQ News

First time gas explorers and Queensland-based company AusGasCo CSG have been given the green light from the State Government to explore for gas in the Surat Basin, west of Toowoomba.

The company has been appointed preferred tenderer for two blocks east of Injune totalling 114 square kilometres.

AusGasCo Chairman Frank Connolly said the project would be foundation tenures for the company, as new entrant into the state’s energy industry.

“I commend the Government’s confidence in junior explorers, promoting near-term Queensland petroleum exploration and encouraging private investment in the sector,” Mr Connolly said.

“It will benefit the local communities and businesses of central Queensland, the Queensland energy market and the Queensland economy.

“The two tenures are complemented by their location next to a number of quality, producing coal seam gas fields with multiple domestic gas transmission pipelines nearby.”

Resource Minister Scott Stewart said the site would add to the 8205 square kilometres submitted for gas exploration in 2020, to maintain the pipeline of future resource projects in the region.

“These blocks were released during COVID-19 as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s economic plan for recovery,” he said.

“These were sought after due to their proximity to existing gas pipeline infrastructure and processing facilities.”

Since 2015 the Palaszczuk Government has released more than 80,000 square kilometres of land for gas exploration, over a quarter of it guaranteeing the gas will be for Australian consumers.