Resource authorities and agreements

ATP: Authority to prospect

Granted for maximum of 12 years

An ATP holder can:

• explore for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas
• test for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas production
• evaluate the feasibility of petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas production
• evaluate or test natural underground reservoirs for the storage of petroleum or a prescribed storage gas.

PCA: Potential commercial area

Granted for maximum of 15 years

A PCA holder can:

• evaluate the potential production and market opportunities for the resource.
• retain an area of an ATP beyond its term to provide extra time to commercialise the resource.

PL: Petroleum lease

Granted for maximum of 30 years.

A PL holder can:

• explore for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gastest for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas production
• produce petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas.

DAA: Data acquisition authority

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

A DAA holder can:

• conduct limited geophysical survey activities and collect data outside the area of the holders’ exploration permit or lease.

PSL: Petroleum survey licence

Granted for a maximum of 2 years.

A PSL holder can:

• enter land to survey the proposed route of a pipeline or the suitability of land for a petroleum facility licence
• only conduct activities that have minimal impact on the land.

PPL: Pipeline licence

No maximum term.

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

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

A PPL holder can construct and operate a pipeline on designated 'pipeline land'. This is defined as land that either the PPL holder owns or over which they have:

• an easement
• a written agreement with the landowner to enter to construct and operate the pipeline or
• land resumption (last resort).

PFL: Petroleum facility licence

No maximum term.

A PFL holder can:

• construct and operate a processing, refining, storage or transport facility for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas or natural gas.

EPM: Exploration permit for minerals

Granted for a term up to 5 years.

An EPM holder can:

• use advanced exploration methods to determine the quantity and quality of minerals present.
• prospect, conduct geophysical surveys, drilling, and sample and test materials.

EPC: Exploration permit for coal

Granted for a maximum term up to 5 years.

An EPC holder can:

• use advanced exploration methods to determine the quantity and quality of coal present.
• prospect, conduct geophysical surveys, drilling, and sample and test materials.

MDL: Mineral development licence

Generally granted for a maximum term of 5 years.

An MDL holder can conduct:

• geoscientific programs (e.g. drilling, seismic surveys)
• mining feasibility studies
• metallurgical testing and marketing
• environmental, engineering and design studies.

ML: Mining lease

The term depends on identified reserves and projected mine life.

A ML holder can:

• machine-mine for minerals
• conduct other activities associated with mining or promoting the activity of mining.

MC: Mining claim

There are 2 types of mining claims, which can be granted for a maximum of 10 years:

• hand mining claims granted for a maximum area of up to 1ha (2ha in limited areas) and are not limited to the mineral type (except no MC for coal)
• prescribed mining claims, which allow for machinery mining of corundum, gemstones or other precious stones only for up to 20ha.

An MC holder can:

• hand mine for minerals including gold, corundum, gemstones or other precious stones.

EPQ: Exploration permit for greenhouse gas

Granted for maximum of 5 years. Cannot be granted within the area of the Great Artesian Basin in Queensland.

An EPQ holder can:

• search for greenhouse gas (GHG) storage reservoirs
• carry out injection testing (with ministerial approval) and activities necessary for exploration.

PSA: Potential greenhouse gas storage commercial area

Granted for maximum of 10 years.

A PSA holder can:

• evaluate the greenhouse gas storage area's potential and market opportunities.

QL: Greenhouse gas injection and storage lease

No maximum term.

A QL holder can:

• explore for greenhouse gas storage areas
• evaluate the feasibility of greenhouse gas stream storage, including greenhouse gas storage injection testing
• compress or otherwise process a GHG stream for greenhouse gas stream storage
• store a greenhouse gas stream
• monitor and verify the behaviour of the greenhouse gas streams.

DAA: Greenhouse gas injection and storage data acquisition authority

Granted for maximum of 2 years.

A DAA holder can:

conduct limited geophysical survey activities and collect data outside the area of the holders' exploration permit or lease.

EPG: Exploration permit for geothermal energy

Granted for maximum of 5 years.

An EPG holder can:

• explore for geothermal resources
• evaluate the feasibility of geothermal production, including by production testing.

PGA: Potential geothermal commercial area

Granted for maximum of 5 years.

A PGA holder can:

• evaluate the potential production and market opportunities for a geothermal resource.

GL: Geothermal production lease

Granted for maximum of 30 years.

A GL holder can:

• carry out a range of activities related to exploration, testing and production of geothermal energy.

WMA: Water monitoring authority

The WMA ends if the authority to prospect (ATL), petroleum lease (PL), mining lease (ML) or mining development licence (MDL) with which it is associated ends.

A WMA holder can:

• allow a holder of an ATP, PL, ML, and/or MDL meet their obligations to make good any damage they cause to surrounding water bores.

• Compensation agreements (for mining and/or access)

• Conduct and compensation agreements
• Opt-out agreements
• Deferral agreements
• Access agreements

Applications

You have an opportunity to object prior to the grant of a mining lease or mining claim if you believe the impact does not outweigh the public benefit.

You will also have an opportunity to negotiate for reasonable compensation for the impact on your property.

Granted

Once the mining lease or mining claim is in force, the miner, in most cases, has exclusive surface area rights to be on the mining claim or mining lease for authorised purposes. If the miner gives consent, the landholder can enter and use the land.

If a mining lease does not have surface area rights, you may enter and use the land.

For the defined access to a mining lease or mining claim, the miner and landholder must coexist with their activities.

Land access for any other resource authorities, apart from mining claims and mining leases, is governed under the Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014. It has a tiered approach to accessing land for activities.

The activities that a resource authority holder carries out are categorised as either a preliminary activity (an activity that has no impact or a minor impact) or an advanced activity (an activity that has more than a minor impact).

• For preliminary activities, resource authority holders must provide you with a Notice of Entry at least 10 business days before accessing your property. The notice must include details about the proposed activities, the timing, and the duration of access. This is an opportunity to discuss any potential impacts to your property and/or business, as the resource authority holder may not have the full picture of your land use. You may discover that the activities are advanced rather than preliminary.
• For advanced activities, you and the resource authority holder must negotiate a formal agreement covering compensation and conduct before activities begin.

If a mining lease or mining claim has exclusive surface area rights, you cannot build within the resource authority.

Restricted land provides protection to certain buildings and infrastructure. Restricted land around buildings and structures is determined at the application of the mining lease or mining claim. This means that new restricted land cannot be created for new structures. Learn more about restricted land.

Consent from the resource company would be required to build on a petroleum pipeline licence or petroleum facility licence.

You may be able to build on the property within the resource authority. Consider the terms of any existing conduct and compensation agreement.

Restricted land is set at the time of application for production resource authorities. This means that on a production resource authority, any new building will not have restricted land.

Restricted land can be set at any time for exploration resource authorities.

Learn more about restricted land.

If a holder lodges a renewal application, the resource authority remains current until the renewal is decided, even after the expiry date. Mining lease and mining claim holders may need to negotiate a new compensation agreement for the new term.

Prior to its expiry, holders can apply for a replacement petroleum lease (this applies to petroleum leases approved under the Petroleum Act 1923). The old petroleum lease will remain current after its expiry, as a replacement petroleum lease is being assessed under new laws.