Australian exploration review 2020

Australian exploration battled on through the challenging headwinds of 2020 and surprisingly, 2020 saw an increase in exploration drilling on 2019 activity. Twenty-five exploration wells were drilled in 2020 versus 20 exploration wells drilled in 2019. Eight discoveries were made during the year, with the most significant being the Enterprise discovery in the Otway Basin. 2020 also saw a return to exploration drilling in the Beetaloo Sub-basin unconventional plays. Appraisal drilling was dominated by Cooper-Eromanga Basin and coal seam gas activity. There were no offshore appraisal wells in 2020. The exploration farm-in deals of note were Santos taking additional equity from Armour in their South Nicholson Basin unconventional project and Origin taking additional equity from Falcon in their Beetaloo Sub-basin unconventional project. Origin also farmed into the Canning Basin position of Buru Energy and Rey Resources. Australia is set for an exciting year of exploration ahead with a return to exploration drilling in the Bedout Sub-basin, further exploration drilling in the North Perth Basin and a continuation of drilling and testing of the unconventional plays in the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

New theropod remains and implications for megaraptorid diversity in the Winton Formation (lower Upper Cretaceous), Queensland, Australia

The holotype specimen of the megaraptorid Australovenator wintonensis , from the Upper Cretaceous Winton Formation (Rolling Downs Group, Eromanga Basin) of central Queensland, is the most complete non-avian theropod found in Australia to date. In fact, the holotype of A. wintonensis and isolated megaraptorid teeth (possibly referable to Australovenator ) constitute the only theropod body fossils reported from the Winton Formation. Herein, we describe a new fragmentary megaraptorid specimen from the Winton Formation, found near the type locality of A. wintonensis . The new specimen comprises parts of two vertebrae, two metatarsals, a pedal phalanx and multiple unidentifiable bone fragments. Although the new megaraptorid specimen is poorly preserved, it includes the only megaraptorid vertebrae known from Queensland. The presence of pleurocoels and highly pneumatic caudal centra with camerate and camellate internal structures permit the assignment of these remains to Megaraptora gen. et sp. indet. A morphological comparison revealed that the distal end of metatarsal II and the partial pedal phalanx II-1 of the new specimen are morphologically divergent from Australovenator . This might indicate the presence of a second megaraptorid taxon in the Winton Formation, or possibly intraspecific variation.

Outcome focused: how to deliver value in a field (re)development. A case study from the Cooper–Eromanga Basin, South Australia

The share of global hydrocarbon production from ‘aging’ assets is increasing, whereas global demand for energy continues to increase at 1–2% per year (IEA 2019). In 2018, the International Energy Agency estimated the global average production decline at 4% per annum (Gould and McGlade 2018). Production from many of Australia’s established basins, such as the Cooper–Eromanga basin and the North West Shelf, is dominated by aging assets. To arrest this decline, actions must be taken to meet global demand for oil and gas, sustain production and underpin shareholder expectations of a return on their investment. Arresting field decline is a multifaceted problem. A single fix, whether technological or operational, will not maximise production or asset value. Any project to arrest field decline, grow production or (re)develop a field must be considered in its entirety, as an integrated system, by a multidisciplinary team. In addition, and critical to success, the required outcome must be clearly established and committed to by field owners, consultants and staff assigned to the project. This paper demonstrates how using a committed, outcome-focused approach, an integrated project team identified field redevelopment opportunities that significantly increased estimated ultimate recovery in an aging oilfield (that had already produced more than 70–80% of the developed resource) in the Cooper–Eromanga basin, South Australia. Factors critical to success were: (1) a commitment to look at all aspects of the field, from geology and geophysics, through the completion, well and field performance and operational infrastructure to identify development opportunities; (2) an ability to be agile, cycling quickly through the workflow as new information became available; (3) dedicated resources, clear communication and a commitment to integrated work across consultant and staff resources; and (4) management support.