Gas

Key messages

• Natural gas is formed when accumulations of organic matter are buried and exposed to increasing heat and pressure over geological time. The generated gas consists of a mixture of methane and often other heavier hydrocarbons, as well as other gases including carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulphide and helium.
• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a natural gas that has been cooled to minus 162°C, a process that is commonly done for gas export purposes as it reduces the volume of the transported gas.
• Australia has substantial conventional gas resources, the largest of which are located offshore, and significant onshore unconventional gas resources.
• During 2020 Australia was the seventh largest gas producer in the world and in 2021 Australia’s LNG exports reached a record high of 81.2 million tonnes (Mt) (slightly ahead of Qatar) making Australia the world’s largest LNG exporter.

Summary

Australia has substantial gas resources (Figure 1 and Figure 2). In this report, ‘gas resources’ refers to conventional and unconventional gas resources, including coal seam gas (CSG), shale gas, tight gas, basin centred gas and in-situ gasification products.

Conventional gas and coal seam gas remain Australia’s most important gas resources for production and trade.

Australia’s identified conventional gas resources have grown substantially, increasing fivefold since the discovery of the supergiant (>10 trillion cubic feet ‘Tcf’) and giant (>3 Tcf) gas fields on the North West Shelf in the early 1970s. About 93 per cent of conventional gas resources are located on the North West Shelf with gas produced from the Northern Carnarvon, Browse and Bonaparte basins providing feedstock to seven LNG projects (Gorgon, Wheatstone, North West Shelf, Pluto, Prelude, Ichthys and Darwin).

CSG is largely methane gas that is extracted from shallow coal seams (<1,500 m depth) using hydraulic stimulation. Most of Australia’s CSG resources are produced in Queensland, where they form feedstock for three major LNG projects (Queensland-Curtis LNG (QCLNG), Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) and Gladstone LNG (GLNG)).

Other significant unconventional gas resource potential exists in onshore basins, including deep CSG, shale gas, tight gas and basin centred gas resources and from in-situ gasification. Production of these unconventional gas resources has been limited to minor shale gas and tight gas in the Cooper Basin, which has supplied some gas to the East Coast Gas Market (Santos, 2018).

Gas resources are reported as best estimate of reserves (2P) and best estimate of contingent resources (2C) using the SPE-Petroleum Resources Management System. Reserves are commercially recoverable amounts of petroleum that remain in known accumulations, of which 2P reserves are the best estimate (the sum of Proved plus Probable Reserves). Australia’s 2P reserves in 2020 are estimated as 72,082 petajoules (PJ; 60.49 Tcf) for conventional gas and 28,934 PJ (25.73 Tcf) for unconventional CSG (Table 1 and Table 2; Figure 1 and Figure 2). At the end of 2020, annual gas production rates were 6,178 PJ, this is the equivalent of 16 years of production for all gas reserves.

Contingent resources are potentially recoverable amounts of hydrocarbons in known accumulations, of which 2C contingent resources are the best estimate. Contingent resources are not yet considered to be commercially recoverable due to one or more technical, commercial or other factors. Australia’s 2C contingent resources in 2020 are estimated as 120,170 PJ (106.85 Tcf) for conventional gas and 26,197 PJ (23.29 Tcf) for unconventional CSG (Table 1 and Table 2; Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Overall gas production increased substantially, primarily driven by the rapid expansion of the Australian LNG industry on both the west and east coasts. These gas projects feed into the domestic market as well as into the international export market. About 74 per cent of Australia’s natural gas production was exported in 2019–20.

Figure 1. Australia’s remaining gas reserves (2P) and contingent resources (2C) during 2020¹ and cumulative production to end 2020 (PJ). ¹Offshore data provided by NOPTA to year-end 2020; onshore data are sourced from government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between June 2020 and June 2021.

Figure 2. Australia’s remaining gas reserves (2P) and contingent resources (2C) during 2020¹ and cumulative production to end 2020 (Tcf). ¹Offshore data provided by NOPTA to year-end 2020; onshore data are sourced from government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between June 2020 and June 2021.

Table 1. Australia's remaining conventional gas reserves (2P), contingent resources (2C) and annual production during 2020, and cumulative production to end 2020

Notes: PJ= Petajoules. Data from the former Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) have been omitted from Bonaparte Basin totals. Data Sources: Offshore data provided by NOPTA to year-end 2020; onshore data are sourced from government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between December 2020 and June 2021.

Table 2. Australia's remaining coal seam gas reserves (2P), contingent resources (2C) and annual production during 2020, and cumulative production to end 2020

Notes: PJ= Petajoules. Data Sources: Data are sourced from government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between December 2020 and June 2021.

Australia's identified gas resources

Identified resources are those that have been discovered and their locations, quantity and quality are known from measurements or direct geological evidence. Identified gas resources, for the purposes of this report, are the equivalent of discovered 2P reserves and 2C contingent resources in the SPE-Petroleum Resources Management System.

The 2020 resource estimates compiled for this report are based on publicly available onshore data aggregated with confidential offshore data submitted to the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA). Offshore data are reported for calendar year 2020, while onshore data are based on government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between June 2020 and June 2021. Where necessary, the data are aggregated for composite basin regions to de-identify confidential offshore field data in the custody of NOPTA. A bibliography of all open file data sources for onshore reserves, resources and production data are provided at the end of the chapter.

Australia’s estimated conventional gas resources in 2020 include 72,082 PJ (60.49 Tcf) of 2P reserves, accounting for over 70 per cent of Australia’s total remaining 2P gas reserves, and 120,170 PJ (106.85 Tcf) of 2C contingent resources. Aggregating Australia’s 2P reserves and 2C contingent resources provides a total of 192,252 PJ (171 Tcf) of identified conventional gas resources. About 93 per cent of identified conventional gas resources are located offshore along the North West Shelf of Australia. Based on 2020 production rates of 4,594 PJ (4.08 Tcf), Australia’s identified conventional gas resources would have a life of 42 years if all identified contingencies to development are mitigated.

Coal seam gas is expected to remain Australia’s most important unconventional gas resource in the near term (Figure 1 and Figure 2). CSG is already a major source for domestic gas and LNG exports in eastern Australia. Almost all reported CSG reserves and contingent resources are located in Queensland; the remainder are in New South Wales. In 2020 Australia’s estimated total 2P reserves are 28,934 PJ (25.73 Tcf), accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the total remaining 2P gas reserves, and 26,197 PJ (23.29 Tcf) of 2C contingent CSG resources. Aggregating Australia’s 2P reserves and 2C contingent resources provides a total estimate of 55,131 PJ (49.02 Tcf) of CSG identified resources. Based on 2020 production rates of 1,585 PJ (1.41 Tcf), these identified CSG resources would have an estimated life of 35 years if all identified contingencies to development are mitigated.

Other unconventional gas resources in Australia include tight gas, shale gas, basin centred gas and in-situ coal gasification resources. Tight gas and shale gas occur in reservoirs with low or no permeability, which require hydraulic stimulation for gas production. Basin centred gas occurs in abnormally pressured, gas-saturated, low-permeability reservoirs. In-situ coal gasification refers to gas being extracted from coal seams by in-situ heating to produce synthesis (syn) gas.

Unconventional contingent gas reserves for Australia, other than coal seam gas, are reported from an in-situ coal gasification demonstration plant at Leigh Creek in South Australia. The total 2P reported reserves of syngas for the Leigh Creek Energy Project in the Telford Basin are 1,153 PJ (1.03 Tcf) (Table 4).

Currently, there are no published reserves data for shale, tight or basin centred gas. This reflects the early stage of unconventional gas exploration in Australia, a lack of infrastructure, and low oil and gas prices during the reporting period. Santos initially reported 3 PJ (2.8 Bcf) of shale gas reserves from the Moomba gas field in the Cooper Basin in 2012 (Santos, 2012, 2013), but these were subsequently downgraded to contingent resources.

During 2020 unconventional 2C contingent gas resources for Australia, other than coal seam gas, totalled 12,252 PJ (10.89 Tcf) (Table 3). Over 60 per cent (7,469 PJ; 6.64 Tcf) are represented by shale gas resources in the Beetaloo Sub-basin of the greater McArthur Basin, which are being appraised through drilling campaigns by Origin Energy, Empire Energy and Santos. Significant unconventional 2C contingent gas resources have also been identified in the Cooper Basin (2,265 PJ; 2.01 Tcf), Canning Basin (2,429 PJ; 2.16 Tcf) and Telford Basin (1,469 PJ; 1.31 Tcf) (Table 3 and Table 4).

Table 3. Australia's other unconventional gas reserves (2P) and contingent resources (2C) during 2020

Notes: PJ = petajoules; Tcf = trillion cubic feet.

Table 4. Australia's syngas gas reserves (2P) and contingent resources (2C) during 2020

Notes: PJ = petajoules; Tcf = trillion cubic feet.

Recent gas resource updates

Several contingent gas resources have been announced in the past 6 months. While these updates are outside of the reporting period for AECR 2022, and are therefore not included in the reserves and resources compilations, they are briefly discussed below.

The most significant recent development has been from appraisal programs in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, which have resulted in substantial increases to the contingent shale gas resources for this area. In February 2022, Empire Energy announced an 866 per cent increase in 2C contingent resources for EP187 from 42 Bcf to 396 Bcf of gas following a successful 2021 Beetaloo work program (Empire Energy, 2022). Tamboran Resources Limited also recently announced a 428 per cent increase in the 2C contingent gas resources from EP161 to a gross value of 610 Bcf (Tamboran Resources, 2022).

Elsewhere, a significant 2C contingent gas resource of 260 Bcf was recently announced by Buru Energy Limited in the Canning Basin following the drilling of Rafael-1 (Buru Energy, 2022).

Australia's prospective gas resources

Undiscovered resources can be assessed and classified using the SPE-Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS). These are defined as Prospective Resources as they estimate potentially recoverable quantities of hydrocarbons from undiscovered accumulations, referred to as prospects, assuming that a discovery is made and developed.

Individual prospects are defined by a range of possible resource outcomes and carry both a geological risk of discovering oil and gas, as well as a risk of developing any resources in the event of a discovery. Estimating prospective resources at a prospect level is therefore subject to a range of uncertainties regarding the potential recoverable quantities of hydrocarbons. The PRMS provides requirements for determining low, best and high case estimates of prospective resources. However, the methodologies used to assess prospective resources vary across basins, reservoir types, trap types and available sources of data. As such, each reporting entity has the flexibility to calculate resource estimates based on internal best practices.

Prospective resource estimates therefore need to be evaluated in the context of the assessment areas for which they have been generated, the resource type assessed (conventional or unconventional), the assumptions and methodologies used in the assessments, and with an understanding of the risk associated with these resources being realised. For example, the Ironbark prospect in WA-359-P (Northern Carnarvon Basin) had a best estimate prospective recoverable gas resource of 15 Tcf prior to drilling. However, following the drilling of the Ironbark-1 well in 2020, it was subsequently found to contain no gas resources (bp Australia, 2021). The implications of such ‘well failures’ for related exploration targets and prospective resource estimates need to be evaluated through post-drill analysis to determine if it occurred due to local prospect factors, such as trap integrity, or more regional factors, such as lack of hydrocarbon charge.

Due to their risk and uncertain nature, only a limited set of prospective resource estimates are published each year by petroleum exploration companies and other reporting entities. Consequently, it is not possible to provide an accurate aggregation of all prospective gas resources in Australia using published prospective resource estimates. A bibliography of all published prospective resource estimates for the 2020 reporting year accessed by Geoscience Australia is provided at the end of this chapter for reference and for access to the available prospective resource data in each hydrocarbon-bearing basin.

Developing basin scale prospective resource estimates requires undertaking a ‘play-based’ regional assessment. The assessment calculates the ‘yet to find’ resource potential through evaluating both the chance of success for all potential ‘plays’ (reservoir-seal intervals that host oil and gas accumulations) and the potential prospect size. The Geological Survey of Victoria recently published a series of play-based prospective resource assessments for conventional gas resources in onshore Victoria, which have produced a best estimate (2U) unrisked prospective resource of 434 Bcf in the onshore Otway Basin (Whittam, 2021a), and a best estimate (2U) unrisked prospective resource of 108 Bcf in the onshore Gippsland Basin (Whittam, 2021b). Geoscience Australia has also commenced a series of play-based resource assessments for the Pedirka, Simpson, Cooper, Eromanga, Adavale, Galilee, and northern Bowen basins under the Exploring For The Future Program and the Trusted Environmental and Geological Information Program. The results will be provided in future editions of AECR.

Production

During 2019–20, gas production in Australia continued to increase, supporting the global demand for additional LNG exports (Figure 3 and Figure 4). Over 98 per cent of conventional gas was produced from basins on the North West Shelf and from the Gippsland and Cooper basins, while more than 99 per cent of CSG was produced from the Bowen and Surat basins (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

The gas-producing basins of the North West Shelf (Northern Carnarvon, Browse and Bonaparte basins) accounted for 66 per cent of Australia’s annual gas production to the end of 2020, at 4,074 PJ (3.62 Tcf). Gas production in the Bowen and Surat basins accounted for 26 per cent of the 2020 total, at 1,580 PJ (1.41 Tcf).

Recent trends in gas production are captured by the Australian Government’s energy production statistics in Australian Energy Statistics (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a). Natural gas production grew by 7.9 per cent to 5,945 PJ in the 2019–2020 financial year (Figure 5), and by an average of 11.2 per cent per year over the last decade (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a).

Conventional gas contributed 75 per cent of natural gas production on an energy content basis (Figure 5; Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a). The significant production growth of CSG in recent years is attributable to the expansion of LNG production from three major CSG to LNG plants near Gladstone, Queensland (Queensland Curtis LNG, Gladstone LNG, and Australia Pacific LNG).

In 2019–20 production of CSG accounted for 25 per cent of Australian gas production (Figure 5), and at 1,487 PJ, over two-thirds of east coast gas ‑production (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a). Nearly all CSG is produced from the Bowen and Surat basins in Queensland, with a very small amount produced in New South Wales from the Camden Gas Project in the Sydney Basin. CSG production in the Camden Gas Project is scheduled to cease in 2023, as stated by project owners AGL.

Figure 3. Historical trends in Australia’s gas production, consumption, and LNG exports

Figure 4. Historical trend in Australia’s gas production

Figure 5. Historical trends in Australia’s gas production by type

Trade

Australia is a substantial net exporter of natural gas (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a). In 2019–20 about 74 per cent of Australian produced natural gas was exported as LNG (Figure 6).

Over the past decade, LNG exports from Australia have increased by an average of 17 per cent a year (Figure 7), with several new facilities commencing production during this period (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a). During 2020 Australia’s increase in LNG exports was the fifth highest in the world, after the United States, Angola, Russia, and Indonesia (bp, 2021). Australia was also the largest exporter of LNG during this period at 4,249 PJ (78.1 Mt), this increase is due to the new export capacity at Ichthys entering its first full year of operation (bp, 2021; Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a). In 2021 Australia’s LNG exports reached a record high of 4,417 PJ (81.2 Mt), maintaining our status as the world’s largest LNG exporter (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2022).

Nearly all of Australia’s LNG exports were delivered to Asian markets in 2020–21 (Figure 8). China accounted for 40 per cent (equivalent to 31.1 Mt) of Australian LNG exports, followed by Japan (37 per cent, equivalent to 28.7 Mt) and the Republic of Korea (10 per cent, equivalent to 8.1 Mt).

Natural gas imports are the gas produced in the former Joint Petroleum Development Area, which is liquefied in Darwin for export (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021a).

Figure 6. Australia’s gas flows, 2019–20

Figure 7. Historical trends in Australia’s LNG export volumes and values

Figure 8. Australian LNG export volume, by key destinations, in 2020–21

World gas resources

Proved world gas reserves in 2020 are estimated by bp (2021) at 6,642 Tcf (equivalent to about 6,767,972 PJ; Table 5), with Russia, Iran, and Qatar holding the largest share of global reserves. Australia’s current global ranking for gas reserves is difficult to determine due to a lack of reported proved (1P) reserves since 2014, when Australia was ranked thirteenth holding 1.9 per cent of the world’s gas reserves (Geoscience Australia, 2018).

In 2020 world gas production decreased by 3.3 per cent to a total of 138,732 PJ (136 Tcf; bp, 2021). Approximately 40 per cent of production came from the US and Russia (Figure 9 and Figure 10). Australia ranked seventh in the world, accounting for 3.7 per cent of total gas production during this period (Table 5).

Global trade of natural gas fell by 5.3 per cent (1.8 Tcf; ~1,990 PJ), driven by a 10.9 per cent (1.9 Tcf; 2,149 PJ) decline in pipeline trade. Global LNG exports modestly increased by 0.6 per cent (0.15 Tcf; 163 PJ) in 2020, below the 10-year average rate of 6.8 per cent (bp, 2021). The most significant growth in LNG exports occurred in the US (29.2 per cent; 0.5 Tcf; 556 PJ), while Australia showed a moderate increase of 1.2 per cent (0.05 Tcf; 60 PJ; bp, 2021).

Table 5. Key gas statistics

Notes: BP gas reserves data are proved reserves while Geoscience Australia data are Proved plus Probable (2P) Reserves. OECD = Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. na = not available. LNG = liquefied natural gas. CAGR = compound annual growth rate. Tcf = trillion cubic feet. PJ = petajoules. A$b = billion Australian dollars. Source: ^aGeoscience Australia; ^bBP (2021) BP Statistical Review of World Energy; ^cDepartment of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (2021a and b) Resources and Energy Quarterly, December 2021 (Table 2).

Figure 9. World gas production in 2020 (PJ)

Figure 10. World gas production in 2020 (Tcf)

References

Buru Energy 2022. Independent resources review of Rafael conventional wet gas discovery confirms potential for major gas resource (Last accessed 26 May 2022).

bp Australia 2021. Exploring Ironbark: acreage WA-359-P (Last accessed 17 May 2022).

bp 2021. bp Statistical Review of World Energy, 70th edition (Last accessed 30 June 2022).

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources 2021a. Australian Energy Statistics (Last accessed 14 April 2022).

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources 2020b. Resources and Energy Quarterly, December 2021 (Last accessed 14 April 2022).

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources 2022. Resources and Energy Quarterly, March 2022 (Last accessed 26 May 2022).

Empire Energy 2022. Quarterly Report for the period ending 31 March 2022 (Last accessed 26 May 2022).

Geoscience Australia 2018. Australian Energy Resources Assessment (AERA).

Santos 2012. Santos (2012) Cooper Basin Unconventional Gas Opportunities & Commercialisation: November 2012 (Last accessed 06 May 2022).

Santos 2013. Moomba 191 and beyond (Last accessed 06 May 2022).

Santos 2018. Historical highlights (Last accessed 06 May 2022).

Tamboran Resources 2022. EP 161 contingent resources upgrade (Last accessed 26 May 2022).

References for onshore reserves, contingent resources and production data

AGL Energy Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Armour Energy Limited. Annual Report For the year ended 30 June 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources 2021. Australian Petroleum Statistics Issue 294, January 2021 Table 1A (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 2022, Gas Inquiry 2017-2025 Interim Report - January 2022 Table A.2 Reserves and Resources estimates as at 30 June 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Beach Energy Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Beach Energy Limited 2020. FY20 Fourth Quarter Activities Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Beach Energy Limited 2021. FY21 Second Quarter Activities Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Black Mountain Energy 2021. Prospectus (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Buru Energy Limited 2018. Independent Assessment of Resources at the Yulleroo Field 18 January 2018 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Central Petroleum Limited 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Comet Ridge Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Cooper Energy Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Cooper Energy Limited 2020. Q4FY20 Quarterly Report for 3 months to 30 June 2020 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Cooper Energy Limited 2021. Quarterly Report for the three months ended 31 December 2020 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Denison Gas 2019. Media Release - Reserves and Contingent Resources as at 30 June 2019 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Empire Energy Group Limited 2021. Material Beetaloo Resource Upgrade (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Empire Energy Group Limited 2021. 2021 Reserves & Resources Statement (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Galilee Energy Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Galilee Energy Limited 2021. Kumbarilla Drilling Update 22 April 2020 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

GB Energy 2019. Annual Report 2020 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Icon Energy Limited 2015 Quarterly Activities Report 31-Jul-2015 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Lakes Blue Energy NL 2021. Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Metgasco Ltd 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

NeuRizer Ltd (formerly Leigh Creek Energy Limited) 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

New Hope Corporation 2021. Bridgeport Energy Limited- 2021 Petroleum Reserves and Contingent Resources statement (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade 2022. NT onshore oil and gas production data (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Shale Gas and Liquids Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Conventional Oil and Gas Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Origin Energy Limited 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Pure Hydrogen Corporation Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Red Sky Energy Limited 2021. Summary of Potential Current Resources (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Santos Limited 2020. Annual Report 2020 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Santos Limited 2020. 2020 Fourth Quarter Report Data Tables (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Senex Energy Limited 2021. Senex delivers Surat Basin natural gas reserves upgrade (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Senex Energy Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

SA Department for Energy and Mining 2021, Sales production statistics FY20/21 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

State Gas Limited 2021. Resource Estimates and Final Rougemont Well Results (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Strike Energy Limited 2021. Strike delivers maiden Perth Basin gas reserve (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Tamboran Resources Limited 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Vic Geological Survey of Victoria 2021. Earth Resources Regulation Annual Statistical Report FY2020-21 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Vintage Energy Ltd 2020 Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Published prospective resource estimates (2020 reporting year)

Amadeus Basin

Central Petroleum Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Shale Gas and Liquids Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Conventional Oil and Gas Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Bamaga Basin

Fisher, W.S. 2021. The Bamaga Basin: a frontier play in a non-frontier location. The APPEA Journal 2021, 61, 192–204.

Gulf Energy 2022. Projects (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Bonaparte Basin

Melbana Energy 2021. Bonaparte Gulf - Beehive (Last accessed 04 May 2022).

Melbana Energy 2021. Vulcan Sub-basin Exploration (Last accessed 04 May 2022).

Canning Basin

Black Mountain Energy 2021. Prospectus (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Buru Energy Limited 2018. Independent Assessment of Resources at the Yulleroo Field 18 January 2018 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Buru Energy Limited 2021. Update on Canning Basin Exploration Program (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Cooper-Eromanga Basin

Armour Energy 2021. PESA Conference Presentation (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Icon Energy 2021. Icon Energy Annual Report 2021 (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Metgasco Ltd 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Georgina Basin

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Shale Gas and Liquids Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Conventional Oil and Gas Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Gippsland Basin

Cooper Energy 2021. Good Oil Conference Presentation (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Emperor Energy 2021. Positive Initial Results of AVO Analysis 3D Seismic Data (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Geological Survey of Victoria 2021. Conventional gas prospectivity assessment and resource estimation, Onshore Gippsland Basin, Victoria (Last accessed 19 May 2022).

Lakes Blue Energy NL 2021. Annual Report for the Year Ended 30 June 2021 (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

McArthur Basin (including Beetaloo Sub-basin)

Armour Energy Limited 2022. Project Areas – Northern Basins (Last accessed 10 May 2022).

Empire Energy Group Limited 2021. Material Beetaloo Resource Upgrade (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Shale Gas and Liquids Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Conventional Oil and Gas Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Tamboran Resources Limited 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Northern Carnarvon Basin

Bounty Oil and Gas NL 2021. Ceberus Farmin Agreement, Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia and Placement to Raise $2.74 Million (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

FAR Limited 2020. Annual Report 2020 (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Finder Energy 2022. Corporate Presentation, 6 April 2022 (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Tamaska Oil & Gas Limited 2021 Napoleon Prospect Technical Report (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Otway Basin

Geological Survey of Victoria 2021. Conventional gas prospectivity assessment and resource estimation, Onshore Otway Basin, Victoria (Last accessed 19 May 2022).

Perth Basin

Metgasco Ltd 2021. 2021 Annual Report (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Strike Energy Limited 2021. Strike delivers maiden Perth Basin gas reserve (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Triangle Energy (Global) Limited 2021. Annual Report 2021 for the year ended 30 June 2021 (Last accessed 24 May 2022).

Roebuck Basin

Carnarvon Petroleum Ltd 2021. Bedout Basin Update (Last accessed 20 May 2022).

South Nicholson Basin

Armour Energy Limited 2022. Project Areas – Northern Basins (Last accessed 10 May 2022).

Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) 2021. NT Resourcing The Territory Shale Gas and Liquids Factsheet October 2021/March 2022 (Last accessed 02 May 2022).

Upcoming data releases

• This preliminary release of AECR 2022 includes gas commodity resource maps and a download of data tables for the 2020 reporting period.
• A final report documenting Australia’s identified gas resources, production, trade and world ranking will be available in late June 2022.
• Contact the Energy Resources Advice and Promotion team for more information.

Data download

Australia’s Energy Commodity Resources Data Tables – 2020 Reporting Period

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Australia’s Gas Commodity Resources Maps – 2020 Reporting Period

Figure 1. Australia’s remaining gas reserves (2P) and contingent resources (2C) during 2020¹ and cumulative production to end 2020 (PJ). ¹Offshore data provided by NOPTA to year-end 2020; onshore data are sourced from government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between June 2020 and June 2021.

Figure 2. Australia’s remaining gas reserves (2P) and contingent resources (2C) during 2020¹ and cumulative production to end 2020 (Tcf). ¹Offshore data provided by NOPTA to year-end 2020; onshore data are sourced from government statistics and company estimates reported at various dates between June 2020 and June 2021.