Aus government releases more petroleum acreage

The Australian government has released more than 120 000 km2 of tenements for offshore petroleum exploration, marking the largest release since 2000.

The release of the 64 areas will be the first release of acreage under a new streamlined system which delivers an annual investment cycle that simplifies bidding, offers greater transparency and responds faster to the market demand, Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said on Wednesday.