Industry News

DUG and Searcher sign multi-client 3D seismic data reprocessing agreement offshore East Sarawak Malaysia

09/03/2026 Posted by Helen

DUG Technology (DUG) in partnership with Searcher Seismic is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement for the provision of multi-client 3D seismic data reprocessing offshore East Sarawak.

Under the terms of the agreement, DUG and Searcher will reprocess previously acquired 3D seismic surveys within the agreed East Sarawak multi-client reprocessing area.

DUG will reprocess over 60 legacy 3D surveys covering an area of up to 45,000 square kilometres from original field data using its advanced FWI imaging technology and pre-stack imaging workflows to produce one seamless 3D seismic volume of superior quality.

The new,...

Elixir Energy Announce Taroom Trough Results

07/03/2026 Posted by Rachel

Elixir Energy this month announced success at their Lorelle-3 pilot, interpreting 148m of total net pay across the primary, secondary and tertiary Permian reservoir targets, with associated elevated mudgas readings. The Lorelle-3 pilot was drilled in ATP2056 within Queensland’s Taroom Trough. Elixir Energy hold a 50% interest in ATP 2056 and are operator of the Lorelle 3 appraisal well. Santos hold the remaining 50% interest in the permit and will be operator of the permit thereafter.

Elixir Energy interpret the primary target, the Tinowon Dunk sandstone, to be 56m thick with 28m net pay interpreted, supported by elevated mud gas readings and fluorescence in cuttings.

Viridien announces strategic initiative to advance HPC for seismic imaging workflows with NVIDIA

07/03/2026 Posted by Rachel

Paris, France – February 18, 2026

Viridien, an advanced technology and digital solutions company, has announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to transform seismic imaging workflows by leveraging NVIDIA HPC platforms and Viridien’s expertise in Subsurface Imaging technologies and HPC & Cloud Solutions.

The collaboration will focus on optimizing Viridien’s seismic imaging algorithms on NVIDIA accelerated computing platforms, including the integration of advanced techniques such as tensor cores and mixed-precision computing.

Northern Territory Acreage Release

07/03/2026 Posted by Rachel

The Northern Territory of Australia have announced a petroleum exploration acreage release covering approximately 4000km2 with submissions due by Friday 31st July 2026.

The area, EPNT26-1, includes 46 full and 4-part blocks within the defined boundaries of the Beetaloo Sub-basin, within the greater McArthur Basin. The Northern Territory Geological Survey assesses the area as highly prospective for petroleum, with the Beetaloo Sub-basin representing one of Australia’s most significant onshore gas provinces.

Exploration Award in the Taroom trough

07/03/2026 Posted by Rachel

The Crisafulli Government has awarded exploration rights in the Taroom Trough, citing it has the potential to open up Australia’s first major new oil province since the 1970s. Omega TN Pty Ltd, Tri-Star Stonecroft Pty Ltd and Drillsearch Energy Pty Ltd (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beach Energy) have been appointed as preferred tenderers to explore for gas and petroleum in the Taroom Trough, near Miles in South-West Queensland.

The 750 square kilometre exploration tenement – around the same size as Singapore - forms part of a wider package of exploration areas opened for tender last year, aimed at unlocking future energy supplies to put downward pressure on prices.

Prominence Energy Announce Next Steps in Hydrogen Exploration

27/02/2026 Posted by Rachel

Prominence Energy Ltd announced in February that preparatory work gas commenced for the Company’s first geochemical survey within Petroleum Exploration Licence 803 (PEL 803) in South Australia.

PEL 803 forms part of the Eyre Project, which Prominence Energy acquired 100% interest in during 2025. The project area covers more than 29,000km2 and includes PEL803 and PELAs 749-751. The Eyre Project sits on the cratonic Gawler Craton Archean Crust, considered prospective for natural hydrogen, helium and other associated gases.

Carbon Loop #017

06/02/2026 Posted by Helen

Read the full newsletter here

Hello and welcome to The Carbon Loop — a newsletter by the CCUSNA dedicated to highlighting the Australian carbon capture, utilisation and storage industry

A quick plug to begin with.

On 19 and 20 February, the CCUSNA will host an invite-only, two-day workshop to consider the question: What are the opportunities and challenges associated with developing a multi-user CCUS hub in WA?

And in the lead up to the workshop in February the CCUSNA has been putting together a series of webinars to explore and set up the background to that central theme.

New GSWA publications on plays of the Canning and Perth Basins

05/02/2026 Posted by Rachel

These two GSWA Records provide a valuable resource, especially for potential new explorers, on the Canning and Perth Basins. The publications provide an introduction to the basins, their exploration targets and drilling results. Unforeseen new play commercial discoveries (Ungani oil in the Canning Basin and Waitsia gas in the Perth Basin) are testimony to undiscovered hydrocarbon potential in these basins.

These GSWA Records are based on historical petroleum exploration targets, covering formation by formation and including drilling results. Information was summarised from company well completion reports and relevant literature.

These new publications are found on the DMPE e-bookshop, linked to below.

Record 2025/9

A Summary of Geological Play Types for Energy Commodities in the Perth Basin, within Western Australian Jurisdiction

RH Bruce

Published August 2025

Record 2025/16

PESA Deal Day 2026

03/02/2026 Posted by Rachel

Monday 18th May sees the return of the PESA Deal Day, a regular event in the PESA calendar that brings together a range of exciting opportunities and the community keen to invest in them. Spots are available now for both presenters and event sponsors - read on to learn more from co-convenor Wal Muir.

The PESA 2026 Deal Day will bring high quality exploration, appraisal and development opportunities from Australia and beyond to the attention of the international oil and gas industry.

Offshore Otway Basin Federal offshore acreage release, NOPTA guidance note revisions and NOPIMS changes

03/02/2026 Posted by Rachel

With the long awaited offshore Otway Basin drilling campaign finally underway, the Federal Minister for Resources the Hon Madeleine King announced on 11 December 2025 the release of five areas for work program bidding. Application bids on the five release areas is due 30 June 2026. A public consultation process in parallel is open until 6 February 2026. More on the acreage release and details on how to bid can be found at https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/2025-otway-offshore-petroleum-exploration-acreage-release

This petroleum exploration acreage release is the first since 2022 and the release of the Governments Future Gas Strategy in May 2024 .