To explore for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas in Queensland, you must hold a current authority to prospect (ATP).

Permitted activities

An ATP allows you to:

• explore for petroleum
• test for petroleum production
• evaluate the feasibility of petroleum production
• evaluate or test natural underground reservoirs for the storage of petroleum or a prescribed storage gas.

Incidental activities

You may also carry out an incidental activity within the area of your lease if it is reasonably necessary for, or incidental to:

• an authorised activity for the lease
  or
• an authorised activity for another petroleum lease or ATP.

Incidental activities must:

• be built for the management, use, access or monitoring of the lease
• be temporary in nature, and exists only for the purposes of the lease
• not provide a benefit or service beyond what is necessary for the use, monitoring and access of the lease.

Examples of incidental activities include:

• constructing or operating plant or works, such as
  • communication systems
  • compressors
  • powerlines
  • pumping stations
  • ponds and tanks
• constructing temporary industrial or technical structures, including mobile or temporary camps.

Environmental authorities

Before we grant a resource authority, you will require the appropriate environmental authority.

Native title

Any native title requirements will need to be addressed before we grant an authority.

Main features of an ATP

Australian domestic market supply condition

An Australian market supply condition may be attached to an authority to prospect.

The condition means that the authority holder must only sell gas produced from the tenure (or a subsequent lease) to customers within Australia. The objective is to increase gas supplies and lower prices for domestic users.

Refer to the Operational policy - Complying with the Australian market supply condition (PDF, 663KB) for details of how the requirements of the condition can be met.

How to apply

You can apply through a call for tenders.

Also consider...

• Read our guide to the application process for resource authorities for general information about lodging an application.
• Find out how to comply with your resource authority and the land access code.

You can apply to have an area of your authority to prospect (ATP) declared as a potential commercial area (PCA) so that you can evaluate the potential production and market opportunities for the resource.

The PCA is a way of retaining an area of your ATP beyond its term to provide extra time to commercialise the resource. The maximum term for an ATP is 12 years, while the declaration for the PCA can be for up to 15 years.

When you apply for a PCA, you must include a commercial viability report that shows that the area is likely to be commercially viable within 15 years. You must also include an evaluation program showing how you will overcome any factors inhibiting the commercial viability of the project.

See our policy for declaration of a potential commercial area (PDF, 151KB) for more information.

When an area is declared as a PCA, it remains part of the ATP. When the PCA expires, the declared area ceases to be part of the original ATP.

Amalgamation of 2 or more PCAs

You can apply to amalgamate 2 or more PCAs within the area of your ATP. As for the declaration of a PCA, the declaration of the amalgamated PCA can be for up to 15 years.

Main features of a PCA

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office.

Also consider...

• Read our guide to the application process for resource authorities for general information about lodging an application.
• Find out how to comply with your resource authority and the land access code.

You can apply for a petroleum lease over an area of your authority to prospect (ATP) if you make a discovery that is currently commercially viable. If the lease is granted, the area is excised from the ATP.

Note: You can also apply for a petroleum lease in response to a call for tenders, in which case a pre-existing ATP is not required.

Permitted activities

A petroleum lease gives you the right to:

• explore for petroleum
• test for petroleum production
• produce petroleum.

Incidental activities

You may also carry out an incidental activity within the area of your lease if it is reasonably necessary for, or incidental to:

• an authorised activity for the lease
  or
• an authorised activity for another petroleum lease or ATP.

Incidental activities must:

• be built for the management, use, access or monitoring of the lease
• be temporary in nature, and exists only for the purposes of the lease
• not provide a benefit or service beyond what is necessary for the use, monitoring and access of the lease.

Examples of incidental activities include:

• constructing or operating plant or works, such as
  • communication systems
  • compressors
  • powerlines
  • pumping stations
  • ponds and tanks
• constructing temporary industrial or technical structures, including mobile or temporary camps.

Constructing renewable energy infrastructure

Renewable energy infrastructure may be constructed as an incidental activity for a petroleum lease, provided it meets the same requirements as other incidental activities.

The infrastructure must be:

• primarily used to power gas operations
• located entirely within the petroleum lease boundary
• temporary and removed after petroleum activities cease.

If the infrastructure meets these requirements, additional development approvals under the Planning Act 2016 may not be required. However, this can depend on the scale and extent of the infrastructure and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, similar to other incidental activities.

Before constructing renewable energy infrastructure as an incidental activity on a lease, ensure you have:

• contacted the Petroleum Assessment Hub to confirm that the infrastructure meets the relevant requirements
• conducted landholder consultation and made any necessary updates to your Conduct and Compensation Agreement
• confirmed with the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation whether amendments to your Environmental Authority are required
• confirmed whether you require an authority to operate electricity infrastructure on your petroleum lease to support activities – these licences are administered by Queensland Treasury under the Electricity Act 1994 and the Electricity Regulation 2006.

Environmental authorities

Before we grant a resource authority, you will require the appropriate environmental authority.

Native title

Any native title requirements will need to be addressed before we grant an authority.

Main features of a petroleum lease

Australian domestic market supply condition

An Australian market supply condition may be attached to a petroleum lease.

The condition means that the authority holder must only sell gas produced from the lease to customers within Australia. The objective is to increase gas supplies and lower prices for domestic users.

Refer to the Operational policy – Complying with the Australian market supply condition (PDF, 663KB) for details of how the requirements of the condition can be met.

Amalgamation of petroleum leases

You can apply to amalgamate 2 or more petroleum leases into a single lease as long as:

• all of the holders of the individual leases agree to the proposed amalgamation
• the holders of the amalgamated lease will be the same as the holders of the individual leases
• for an individual lease, there are no outstanding amounts (e.g. annual rent, rates and charges payable to local government, royalty related amounts or security).

The petroleum leases do not need to be contiguous, but the proposed development plan must justify how the areas will be used in a single operation. Refer to s. 170D of the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 for details.

The amalgamation provisions do not apply to petroleum leases granted under the Petroleum Act 1923. However, if you are the holder 2 or more petroleum leases under the Petroleum Act 1923, you may apply to amalgamate the leases into a single petroleum lease issued under the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004, at the time of lodging a replacement petroleum lease application. Refer to s. 107B and 908 of the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 for details.

Ban on Enhanced Petroleum Recovery using a GHG Stream

In June 2024, the Queensland Government introduced a legislative ban on enhanced petroleum recovery activities that use a greenhouse gas (GHG) stream, within the area of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), in Queensland.

For the purpose of the ban, the GAB is defined as the area that is on or below the surface of the plan area under the Water Plan (Great Artesian Basin and Other Regional Aquifers) 2017 (PDF, 1.2MB).

Injecting a GHG stream for the purpose of enhanced petroleum recovery within the GAB is no longer an authorised activity for a Petroleum Lease under both the Petroleum Act 1923 or Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004.

These activities may be able to occur in areas in other areas of Queensland outside of the GAB, subject to existing regulatory assessment and approvals processes.

Read more about the ban on GHG activities in the GAB.

How to apply

You can apply online for a petroleum lease through MyMinesOnline or using a hard-copy form. You can also apply through a call for tenders.

Petroleum lease under the Petroleum Act 1923

If you hold an authority to prospect issued under the Petroleum Act 1923, you can apply to have a petroleum lease issued under that Act. A lease can be granted for a maximum of 30 years and a maximum area of 260km². The area applied for cannot be within the area of a coal or oil shale resource authority.

You must apply in writing and include the information detailed in s. 40 of the Act. Contact us for more information before lodging this application.

Also consider...

• Read our guide to the application process for resource authorities for general information about lodging an application.
• Find out how to comply with your resource authority and the land access code.

On this page:

• pipeline licence
• petroleum facility licence
• Part 5 permission.

Pipeline licence

A pipeline is a pipe, or system of pipes, for transporting:

• petroleum
• fuel gas
• produced water
• prescribed storage gases
• regulated hydrogen
• greenhouse gas streams.

To construct a pipeline outside the area of your petroleum lease, you need a pipeline licence.

The pipeline licence gives you the right to construct and operate the pipeline on designated 'pipeline land'. This is defined as land that you either own or over which you have:

• an easement
• a written agreement with the landowner to enter to construct and operate the pipeline
• a Part 5 permission.

Acquiring pipeline land

The preferred way of securing designated pipeline land is usually to use existing road, rail or powerline easements.

However, if the pipeline needs to cross private land, you will have to consult with the landowner about obtaining land for your pipeline. These discussions will usually result in the creation of an easement on private land in return for some form of compensation.

If the landowner refuses to negotiate with you, or refuses you easement access, you can apply for a Part 5 permission (described at the end of this page).

Types of PPLs

There are 2 types of licences available:

• area PPL – allows you to build a system of pipes within the area of the licence without having to have a licence for each single pipeline. An area PPL can extend over several adjacent petroleum leases
• point-to-point PPL – granted from 1 point, or points, to another point, or points.

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office.

Read our guide to the application process for resource authorities for more information, including instructions for notifying the public of your application.

Fees

• Application fee: {{ passfee_35477 }}
• Annual licence fee: {{ passfee_35479 }} per km for a point-to-point licence and {{ passfee_35480 }} per km of an area licence

Petroleum facility licence

You will require a petroleum facility licence (PFL) for a processing, refining, storage or transport facility if the facility is not already covered by your petroleum lease or pipeline licence.

The PFL will give you the right to construct and operate the facility on 'petroleum facility land'. This is defined as land that you either own or over which you have:

• an easement
• a written agreement with a landowner to enter to construct and operate the facility on their land
• a Part 5 permission.

Acquiring petroleum facility land

If the petroleum facility needs to be built on private land, you will need to negotiate with the landowner. These discussions will usually result in the creation of an easement on private land in return for some form of compensation.

If the landowner refuses to negotiate with you, or refuses you easement access, you can apply for a Part 5 permission (described at the end of this page).

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office.

Fees

• Application fee:{{ pass_35481 }}
• Annual licence fee: {{ pass_35482 }} for an area of 2km² or less, and {{ pass_35483 }} per km² for an area of 2km² or more

Part 5 permission

If, after reasonable consultation with the landowner, you cannot agree about acquiring land for your pipeline or facility, you can apply for a Part 5 permission. This gives the Queensland Government the right to resume the land.

An application for a Part 5 permission should be a last resort. You will need to show strong reasons in support of your application and we will need to be satisfied that there has been continuing negotiation and consultation with the landowner. It is therefore in your best interest to negotiate a fair and reasonable compensation agreement.

If Part 5 permission is granted, resumption can take place within 9 months. Compensation will be paid to the landowner.

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office. You must notify the landowner that you have applied.

Once you have applied, there is a consultation period to allow the landowner to lodge a submission.

Fees

• Application fee: {{ pass_35484 }}

Also consider...

• Read our guide to the application process for resource authorities for general information about lodging an application, including instructions for notifying the public of your application.
• Find out how to comply with your resource authority and the land access code.

On this page:

• data acquisition authority
• water monitoring authority
• survey licence.

Note: Before accessing private land, you must provide the landholder or occupiers with a notice of entry to carry out activities approved under your authority.

Data acquisition authority

A data acquisition authority (DAA) authorises you to conduct limited geophysical survey activities and collect data outside the area of your authority to prospect (ATP) or petroleum lease (PL). A DAA is only granted on land that is contiguous to the granted ATP or PL and for activities that are directly relevant to authorised activities of your ATP or PL.

A DAA can be granted for a maximum term of 2 years and ends if the ATP or PL with which it is associated ends.

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office.

Fees

• Application fee: {{ pass_35470 }}
• Annual rent: {{ pass_35451 }} per sub-block

Water monitoring authority

As the holder of an ATP or PL, you have an obligation to make good any damage you cause to surrounding water bores. You can apply for a water monitoring authority (WMA) over land outside the area of your ATP or PL to comply with your obligations. The WMA ends if the ATP or PL with which it is associated ends.

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office.

Fees

• Application fee: {{ pass_35471 }}.
• Annual rent: {{ pass_35452 }} per sub-block.

Survey licence

A survey licence gives you the right to enter land to survey the proposed route of a pipeline or the suitability of land for a petroleum facility licence.

The survey licence:

• can be granted for up to 2 years
• only allows you to conduct activities that have minimal impact on the land.

About fuel gas

A fuel gas, under the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (P&G Act) and Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017 includes:

• LPG
• processed natural gas
• hydrogen, or a hydrogen gas blend, used or intended to be used as fuel to produce heat, light or power
• biogas
• biomethane
• synthetic methane
• a substance that is a mixture of LPG and air, known as 'synthetic natural gas'.

What isn't fuel gas

Regulated hydrogen substances carriers such as ammonia or methylcyclohexane are not considered fuel gas under the P&G Act.

How to apply

Complete an application form and lodge it through MyMinesOnline or a mines lodgement office.

Make sure you include details of the:

• type of pipeline or petroleum facility you’re proposing to construct
• proposed use of the pipeline or facility
• terminal points of the pipeline
• time period you want the licence for
• extent and nature of the activities you're planning to carry out under the licence.

You'll also need to outline your:

• financial and technical resources
• ability to manage the survey you're planning to carry out.

Fees

• Application fee: {{ pass_35476 }}.

Get advice

If you need support with your application or want to clarify the operation of the P&G Act, you can arrange a pre-lodgement meeting to discuss your issues. Contact the Petroleum Assessment Hub by:

• email at petroleumhub@nrmmrrd.qld.gov.au
• phone on (07) 3199 8118.

Also consider...

• Read our guide to the application process for resource authorities for general information about lodging an application.
• Find out how to comply with your resource authority and the land access code.