Announcing the release last week, Macfarlane said the new permits would create $A413 million in new investments in offshore petroleum exploration in Australia over the next six years.

However, some of the releases had been announced weeks ago by the companies involved.

Shell Development (Australia) was awarded permit WA-371-P in the Browse Basin, which is adjacent to Santos and Inpex acreage.

The company’s $148 million work program comprises studies, seismic data reprocessing and 12 exploration wells. The secondary work program involves further studies and one exploration well, for another $11 million. This was the only Browse permit awarded but there were seven other bids for this area.

Five Carnarvon Basin exploration permits were awarded – three in the central Exmouth Plateau and two in the Barrow Sub-basin.

The Gorgon partners – Chevron, Shell and Mobil – were awarded permit WA-374P in the Central Exmouth Plateau about 100km north of Barrow Island.

The partnership arrangements mirror the Gorgon equity structure – Chevron Australia 50% and operator, Shell Australia 25% and ExxonMobil subsidiary Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited 25%.

These firms proposed $54.78 million of studies, 1800sq.km of 3D seismic, 2350km of 2D seismic surveying and two wells. The secondary work program consists of studies and 3D seismic data reprocessing, at an estimated cost of $300,000. There were five other bids for the permit.

Also in the Central Exmouth Plateau, permits WA-369-P and WA-370-P were awarded to a joint venture comprising Woodside Energy, Total E&P Australia and Japan Australia LNG.

The companies offered a minimum guaranteed work program of studies, 324 sq.km of 3D seismic surveying and three exploration wells, at an estimated cost of $46.6 million. The secondary work program consists of studies, seismic reprocessing and one exploration well for about $16.3 million.

There was one other bid for these two permits.

In the Barrow Sub-basin, permits WA-372-P and WA-373P were awarded to US-based Holloman Corporation.

Holloman is an engineering and construction/services company based in Odessa, Texas that recently established a petroleum exploration arm.

For each permit, the company offered a minimum $21.2 million guaranteed work program of seismic data purchase, 58sq.km of 3D seismic surveying and two wells. The secondary work programs consist of studies and two exploration wells, at an estimated cost of $20.2 million per permit. There was one other bid for each area.

Two permits were issued for the Bonaparte Basin, adjacent to significant hydrocarbon discoveries, to Goldsborough Energy, a subsidiary of private Australian company Exoil Limited owned by Melbourne entrepreneur Geoffrey Albers. Albers-linked companies already had seven Bonaparte Basin blocks, plus another four in the outer Browse Basin.

To win these latest blocks, Goldsborough offered a minimum guaranteed work program of studies and 800sq.km of 3D seismic surveying over permits WA-375-P and WA-376-P, at an estimated cost of $1.75 million per permit. The secondary work programs consist of studies and one exploration well, at an estimated cost of $15.6 million per permit. There were no other bids for the areas.