Tenders

Petroleum exploration opportunities

We have released 12 areas for petroleum and gas exploration across the Bowen/Surat basins and the Cooper/Eromanga basins, totalling more than 7,000 km².

View the map of PLR2026-1 tender releases. You can also view these areas in GeoResGlobe.

PLR2026-1 tender releases

Tender area 1

Code: PLR2026-1-1
Size: 101 sub-blocks (approximately 310km²)
Location: Approximately 90km west of Eromanga
Basin: Cooper/Eromanga
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 2

Code: PLR2026-1-2
Size: 85 sub-blocks (approximately 260km²)
Location: Approximately 170km west of Eromanga
Basin: Cooper/Eromanga
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 3

Code: PLR2026-1-3
Size: 211 sub-blocks (approximately 625km²)
Location: Approximately 250km west of Thargomindah
Basin: Cooper/Eromanga
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 4

Code: PLR2026-1-4
Size: 417 sub-blocks (approximately 1,254km²)
Location: Approximately 230km west of Thargomindah
Basin: Cooper/Eromanga
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas
Australian Market Supply Conditions: Yes

Tender area 5

Code: PLR2026-1-5
Size: 251 sub-blocks (approximately 708km²)
Location: Approximately 280km west of Thargomindah
Basin: Cooper/Eromanga
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 6

Code: PLR2026-1-6
Size: 50 sub-blocks (approximately 154km²)
Location: Approximately 85km north of Miles
Basin: Bowen/Surat
Commodity: Coal Seam Gas
Australian Market Supply Conditions: Yes

Tender area 7

Code: PLR2026-1-7
Size: 100 sub-blocks (approximately 306km²)
Location: Approximately 22km south of Miles
Basin: Bowen/Surat
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas
Australian Market Supply Conditions: Yes

Tender area 8

Code: PLR2026-1-8
Size: 351 sub-blocks (approximately 1,069km²)
Location: Approximately 40km south-east of Surat
Basin: Bowen/Surat
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 9

Code: PLR2026-1-9
Size: 135 sub-blocks (approximately 411km²)
Location: Approximately 80km south-east of Surat
Basin: Bowen/Surat
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 10

Code: PLR2026-1-10
Size: 375 sub-blocks (approximately 1,138km²)
Location: Approximately 125km east of St George
Basin: Bowen/Surat
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 11

Code: PLR2026-1-11
Size: 250 sub-blocks (approximately 750km²)
Location: Approximately 260km south-west of Thargomindah
Basin: Cooper/Eromanga
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas

Tender area 12

Code: PLR2026-1-12
Size: 89 sub-blocks (approximately 273km²)
Location: Approximately 70km east of St George
Basin: Bowen/Surat
Commodity: Conventional oil and gas
Australian Market Supply Conditions: Yes

Coal exploration opportunities

We have released 4 areas via competitive tender for coal exploration across the Bowen and Surat basins, covering more than 230km².

View the map of CLR2026 tender releases. You can also view these areas in GeoResGlobe.

CLR2026-1 tender releases

Tender area 1

Code: CLR2026-1-1
Size: 35 sub-blocks (approximately 111km²)
Location: Approximately 100km south-west of Mackay
Basin: Bowen
Commodity: Coal

Tender area 2

Code: CLR2026-1-2
Size: 10 sub-blocks (approximately 32km²)
Location: Approximately 100km south-west of Mackay
Basin: Bowen
Commodity: Coal

Tender area 3

Code: CLR2026-1-3
Size: 17 sub-blocks (approximately 54km²)
Location: Approximately 50km north of Blackwater
Basin: Bowen
Commodity: Coal

Tender area 4

Code: CLR2026-1-4
Size: 12 sub-blocks (approximately 38km²)
Location: Approximately 25km north-west of Chinchilla
Basin: Surat
Commodity: Coal

Mineral exploration opportunities

We have released 2 areas via competitive tender for mineral exploration (prospective for vanadium), located 24km north-east of Julia Creek, totalling approximately 269km².

View the map of MLR2026 tender releases. You can also view these areas in GeoResGlobe.

MLR2026-1 tender releases

Tender area 1

Code: MLR2026-1-1
Size: 58 sub-blocks (approximately 186km²)
Location: approximately 25km north-north-east of Julia Creek
Commodity: Minerals other than coal

Tender area 2

Code: MLR2026-1-2
Size: 26 sub-blocks (approximately 83km²)
Location: 25km north-east of Julia Creek
Commodity: Minerals other than coal

Lodging a tender

PLR2026-1, MLR2026-1 and CLR2026-1 are all advertised on VendorPanel. You must register and create a free supplier profile to lodge a tender and access call for tender documents.

The tenders will be advertised under the following VendorPanel categories:

• Mining & Quarrying & Oil & Gas
• Bore & Well Drilling Services
• Crushing & Screening Services
• Drill and Blasting Services
• Landfill Gas Management Services
• Mining and Quarrying Machinery
• Oil & Gas Drilling & Exploration Equipment
• Well Drilling & Operation Equipment

2026 awarded tenders

On 29 January 2026, preferred tenderers were appointed for three petroleum and gas exploration areas covering prospective ground in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin.

• PLR2025-1-1: Santos QNT Pty Ltd and Drillsearch Energy Pty Ltd
• PLR2025-1-4: Santos QNT Pty Ltd and Drillsearch Energy Pty Ltd
• PLR2025-1-5: Santos QNT Pty Ltd and Drillsearch Energy Pty Ltd

On 10 February 2026, preferred tenderers were appointed for a petroleum and gas exploration area covering prospective ground in the Bowen/Surat Basin.

• PLR2025-1-9: Omega TN Pty Ltd, Tri-Star Stonecroft Pty Ltd and Drillsearch Energy Pty Ltd

The above tenderer must now meet any environmental, native title and other approval requirements before the Authorities to Prospect are granted under the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004.

Following the grant of Authorities to Prospect, the permit-holder will also need to complete land access and potentially other approval requirements before commencing on-ground exploration.

These 4 areas are part of the package of 9 new exploration areas released in 2025, an initiative designed to boost future gas supply. None of the areas overlap the Lake Eyre Basin Strategic Environmental Area—Designated Precinct.

Preferred tenderers have not been appointed for tender areas:

• PLR2025-1-2
• PLR2025-1-3
• PLR2025-1-6
• PLR2025-1-7
• PLR2025-1-8.

Contact us

• Email resources-tenders@nrmmrrd.qld.gov.au for help and information about exploration opportunities
• Subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates on competitive tendering updates and upcoming tender releases

Also consider...

• Request that an area be considered for the next land release.