A spokesperson for the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources said that the survey is part of the $42.5 million Victorian Gas Program and data collected will be used to support a release of offshore acreage next year, subject to further information and stakeholder engagement. 

 

Yesterday a statement incorrectly stated the government was releasing 18,000sq.km of offshore acreage in the Otway Basin. 

 

Airborne gravity data will be collected using a specially equipped aircraft flying from 80m above the sea. 

 

With this initial step towards more gas exploration and AGL's plans for a gas processing plant in the southern state it seems like steps are being taken to alleviate the ongoing gas shortages woes that have fuelled public concern and a barrage of state-federal political recriminations. 

 

Onshore gas exploration bans remain in place despite repeated Canberra and industry calls for their repeal, yet State Treasurer and Resources Minister Tim Pallas was on the front foot blaming the feds. 

 

Pallas said at the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne yesterday that "while the Commonwealth dithers, we're not wasting a minute getting the answers we need on gas". 

 

He called on the federal government to "show leadership". 

 

The Liberal National Opposition has mooted a selective case-by-case lifting of onshore exploration bans but will retain the frac ban if it wins office in the next election. 

 

This announcement comes not long after the federal government announced the release of data from a seismic survey of a 43,000sq.km area in the South Nicholson Basin that spans Queensland the Northern Territory, with further information available early next year. 

 

That acreage could include shale gas that could also help alleviate the east coast gas crisis.