Petroleum well drilling, completion and abandonment
What's new
A new practice direction and data submission templates are available below. Read more about new reporting requirements and implementation timelines.
You must notify us before you start drilling a petroleum well and when you complete drilling. You must also notify us and provide a report if you decommission or abandon the well. Special notices are required if you intend to conduct production testing, storage testing or hydraulic fracturing (fraccing).
Download a flowchart of reporting requirements for petroleum wells (PDF, 136KB) or a flowchart of requirements for hydraulic fracturing (PDF, 122KB).
Note: The information below does not cover information required in relation to safety at operating plant. Check requirements for safety and health reports before starting any petroleum and gas activities.
Who this applies to
These requirements apply to holders of the following resource authorities and statutory positions:
- Authority to prospect
- Petroleum lease
- Water monitoring authority
Before starting activities
Check requirements for land access and other notices before starting petroleum and gas activities.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The tables below show what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help:
- refer to the legislation (references in the tables below)
- read the Practice direction – petroleum and gas reporting (PDF, 2.6MB) and use the Petroleum and gas data submission template (XLS, 793KB)
- refer to the sample obligations matrix (PDF, 71KB) for guidance on when to submit samples
- read about lodging reports into the GSQ Lodgement Portal
- read about using MyMinesOnline
- read about submitting cutting core and cutting samples.
Drilling
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
PGGD-01 – Notice of intention to drill a petroleum well or bore (General Regs3 s. 29) | At least 10 business days before starting | Complete online form in the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
|
Survey plan to be submitted to the chief executive (P&G Regs2) | No later than 3 months after completing the survey | Post survey plan to: Chief Surveyor |
1P&G Act: Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) 2004
2P&G Regs: Petroleum and Gas (Safety) Regulation 2018
3General Regs: Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017
Sample submission
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Cutting samples (P&G Act1 s. 548(1)) (Pet Act2 s. 76B(1)) (General Regs3 s. 49) | CSG wells: You are only required to submit cuttings samples if we request them before the well is drilled. All other petroleum wells: Supply cuttings samples within 6 months of the day the cuttings samples were acquired or the end of resource authority, whichever comes first. | Send pre-lodgement notification to Exploration Data Centre or John Campbell Miles Drill Core Facility |
|
Cores (P&G Act s. 548(1)) (Pet Act s. 76B(1)) (General Regs s. 50) | CSG wells: You must notify us of available core within 5 months of recovering the core and we will tell you whether you need to submit. All other petroleum wells: Supply core within 6 months of the day the core was acquired or the end of resource authority, whichever comes first. | Send pre-lodgement notification to Exploration Data Centre or John Campbell Miles Drill Core Facility |
|
Fluid samples (General Regs s. 51) | All petroleum wells: You are only required to submit fluid samples if we request them within 5 months of the day the fluid sample was recovered. | Send pre-lodgement notification to Exploration Data Centre or John Campbell Miles Drill Core Facility |
1P&G Act: Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004
2Pet Act: Petroleum Act 1923
3General Regs: Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017
Production and storage testing
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Notice about commencement of production/storage testing (General Regs1 s. 14 and 15) | At least 20 business days before starting | Submit online form in MyMinesOnline |
|
Notice about stopping production/storage testing (General Regs s. 16) | Within 20 business days after stopping | Submit online form in MyMinesOnline |
|
Production testing report (General Regs s. 44) | No later than 40 days after finishing production testing | Follow the practice direction and use the data submission template above. Upload all files to the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
1General Regs: Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017
Hydraulic fracturing
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
PGGD-03 – Notice of intention to carry out hydraulic fracturing activities (General Regs1 s. 33) | At least 10 business days before starting | Complete online form in the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
|
PGGD-04 – Notice of completion of hydraulic fracturing activities (General Regs s. 34) | Within 10 business days after finishing | Complete online form in the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
|
Hydraulic fracturing activities completion report (General Regs s. 45) | No later than 2 months after finishing hydraulic fracturing activities | Follow the practice direction and use the data submission template above. Upload all files to the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
1General Regs: Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017
Well completion and abandonment
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
PGGD-02 – Notice of completion, alteration or abandonment of petroleum well or bore (General Regs1 s. 30) | Within 10 business days after completion, alteration or abandonment | Complete online form in the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
|
Well completion report (General Regs s. 36) | No later than 12 months after rig release day | Follow the practice direction and use the data submission template above. Upload all files to the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
|
Daily drilling report (General Regs s. 35) | With well completion report | Follow the practice direction and use the data submission template above. Upload all files to the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
|
Well abandonment report (General Regs s. 37) | No later than 6 months after completion of plugging and abandonment of well | Follow the practice direction and use the data submission template above. Upload all files to the GSQ Lodgement Portal |
1General Regs: Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017
- Last reviewed: 6 Nov 2019
- Last updated: 20 Sep 2021