Notice of Invitation for Work Program Petroleum Exploration Permit Application - Round 1

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006

NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR WORK PROGRAM PETROLEUM EXPLORATION PERMIT APPLICATION – ROUND 1

I, GRAEME ALBERT WATERS, the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA), on behalf of the Commonwealth-Western Australia Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, and the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority (the Joint Authorities), pursuant to section 104 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the Act), hereby invite applications for the grant of work-bid petroleum exploration permits in respect of the blocks and within the areas described below.

Applications must be received, in the manner prescribed below, by Thursday 4:00 pm local time at the place of submission on 18 October 2018.

Graticular Block ListingS

Release Area AC18-1

Vulcan Sub-basin, Bonaparte Basin, Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Map Sheet SC51

Assessed to contain 51 blocks (includes 34 full blocks and 17 part blocks)

Release Area W18-1

Vulcan Sub-Basin, Bonaparte Basin, Western Australia

Map Sheet SC51

Assessed to contain 58 blocks (includes 41 full blocks and 17 part blocks)

Release Area W18-9

Exmouth Plateau, Northern Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia

Map Sheet SE50 (Rowley Shoals)

Assessed to contain six (6) full blocks

Release Area W18-11

Exmouth Plateau, Northern Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia

Map Sheet SF49 (Cloates)

Assessed to contain 47 full blocks

Release Area W18-12

Exmouth Plateau, Northern Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia

Map Sheet SF49 (Cloates)

Assessed to contain 34 full blocks

Release Area V18-1

Inner Otway Basin, Victoria

Map Sheet SJ54 (Hamilton)

Assessed to contain four (4) blocks (includes one (1) full block and three (3) part blocks)

Release Area V18-2

Inner Otway Basin, Victoria

Map Sheet SJ54 (Hamilton)

Assessed to contain 38 blocks (includes 35 full blocks and 3 part blocks)

Release Area V18-4

Southern Gippsland Basin, Victoria

Map Sheet SJ55 (Melbourne)

Assessed to contain 15 full blocks

Release Area V18-5

Central Deep Gippsland Basin, Victoria

Map Sheet SJ55 (Melbourne)

Assessed to contain 12 full blocks

APPLICATIONS

In accordance with subsection 104(3) of the Act, applications must be accompanied by details of:

1. the applicant’s proposals for work and expenditure in relation to the block or blocks specified in the application;
2. the technical qualifications of the applicant and of the applicant’s employees;
3. the technical advice available to the applicant; and
4. the financial resources available to the applicant.

For further details of the expectations of the Joint Authorities in relation to the content of applications, please refer to the Offshore Petroleum Exploration Guideline: work-bid available at http://www.nopta.gov.au/legislation/guidelines.html.

FEE

An application must be accompanied by the prescribed application fee and evidence of payment. The amount of the fee is prescribed in Regulations under the Act and at the time of printing was A$7,500 which is GST free. [1].

If paying by cheque, please write the full company name and Australian Business Number of each applicant and work-bid release area number on the back of the bank cheque. Cheques should be made payable to ‘NOPTA – Commonwealth of Australia’.

If paying by electronic funds transfer, please make payment to the following account:

If paying by credit card, please contact NOPTA at corporate@nopta.gov.au or (08) 6424 5300 at least 48 hours prior to submission to arrange payment.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

The application must be on the prescribed application form and signed by all applicants.  The application form is available for download from the NOPTA’s website at http://www.nopta.gov.au/forms/forms.html.

One bound paper copy and one electronic copy in text searchable format (on CD or USB) of the application, together with evidence of payment of the application fee, must be submitted to the NOPTA in the following manner:

• the application should be sealed and clearly marked as “Application for Area [Release Area Number as appropriate ]  Commercial-in-Confidence” and
• this envelope or package should then be enclosed in a plain covering envelope or package and delivered by hand (couriers accepted) to the below address:

To submit an application please make an appointment with the NOPTA by emailing titles@nopta.gov.au or phoning 08 6424 5317. 

Please check the NOPTA website prior to submitting an application for further updates on submissions.

[1] Please note that application fees are subject to change. Applicants should refer to the application fee stated in Schedule 6, Part 1 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2011 or confirm with NOPTA prior to submitting an application - http://www.nopta.gov.au/cost.html.