Melbourne-headquartered Methanol Australia yesterday said it had awarded the contract to Multiwave, part of the Compagnie Generale de Geophysique Group (CGG), to acquire about 600km of 2D seismic data in September, using the Polar Duke vessel.

It said the acquisition program was designed to add several infill lines targeting the Blackwood lead, a large structure within the Plover Formation in the north of the permit, to the extensive 2D grid already covering the licence.

Blackwood is a large conventional Plover play that appears to cover an area of about 480 square kilometres (40km by 12km) that is relatively shallow (3300m sub sea). Good porosity and permeability is expected at this depth, therefore if hydrocarbons are confirmed by subsequent drilling, produceability should be assured.

Methanol Australia said the new seismic survey would improve the structural mapping of Blackwood and was expected to elevate it to “prospect and drill ready” status.

A gas accumulation within Blackwood could significantly add to the potential hydrocarbon reserves within the permit.

The Plover formation has already demonstrated it is an optimum hydrocarbon reservoir in the Bonaparte Basin, with several large gas fields previously discovered, including Greater Sunrise, Abadi, Evans Shoal and Caldita.

Methanol Australia also said it continued to progress the commercial aspects of its gas-to-liquids (GTL) projects on Tassie Shoal that had already obtained government environmental approvals.

The company said it remained optimistic about the potential of its 100% owned NT/P68, which lies about 25km west of Tassie Shoal, and believed the exploration permit might offer the scope for confirmation of a commercial gas accumulation at Epenarra and discovery of other significant accumulations that may collectively support the future gas demands of its GTL projects.