Equinor announces new exploration permit offshore Australia’s northwest shelf

Equinor has been awarded exploration acreage in the Northern Carnarvon Basin offshore Western Australia.

The new exploration permit, WA-542-P, has been awarded to Equinor as operator and 100% owner.

“We are pleased with this award, which expands our position in Australia with an exploration opportunity in a proven basin,” Paul McCafferty, Equinor’s Senior Vice President for International Offshore Exploration, said.

WA-542-P is located west of the recent Dorado oil discovery. The block covers 4815 sq km and lies about 100 km from the Australian coast. The water depth ranges from 80 to 350 m.

“An interesting new liquids play has emerged in this part of Australia’s northwest shelf and we are looking forward to assessing the potential in our new permit,” Mr McCafferty said.

The work program for the block includes geological and geophysical studies, reprocessing of seismic data and new 3D seismic acquisition.

Equinor established an office in Australia in 2012, and is the operator for EPP39 and EPP40 in the Ceduna Basin offshore South Australia.