Latest update:
The successful bidders for Otway Basin acreage releases have been announced:
* OT RSEL-A was awarded to H2EX Ltd and Thor Energy PLC, targeting petroleum (gas), hydrogen, helium and carbon dioxide
* OT RSEL-B was awarded to H2EX Ltd and Thor Energy PLC, targeting petroleum (gas), hydrogen, helium and carbon dioxide
* OT RSEL-E was awarded to Adelaide Energy Pty Ltd and Tri-Star Otway Pty Ltd, targeting petroleum (gas)
* OT GEL-A was awarded to Lucas Sage SA1 Pty Ltd, targeting geothermal resources
* OT GSEL-B was awarded to ACV Otway Pty Ltd, targeting gas storageThe release sought competitive bids from companies wanting to explore opportunities for gas, natural hydrogen, gas storage and geothermal resources.
Bidding closed 31 October 2025 following a 5-month application period.
Bids were received for six of the nine blocks: one bid was unsuccessful. Otway Blocks RSEL-C, GSEL-A and GSEL-C received no bids.
Otway Basin acreage blocks maps
Geothermal Acreage Blocks with existing tenements and wells
Download the Otway Basin Geothermal acreage blocks map (PDF, 311.9 KB)
Gas Storage Acreage Blocks with existing tenements and wells
Download the Otway Basin Gas Storage Acreage Blocks map (PDF, 299.5 KB)
Regulated Substances Acreage Blocks with existing tenements and wells
Download the Otway Basin Regulated Substances Acreage Blocks map (PDF, 321.4 KB)
Otway Basin Acreage Release Blocks OT2025 RSEL-A to E, GSEL-A to C and GEL-A
The offer
The Otway Basin is a competitive tender region, and vacant acreage must be gazetted and offered for work program bidding. Following a recent acreage relinquishment, four new regulated substances exploration licences (RSELs), three gas storage exploration licences (GSELs) and one new geothermal exploration licence (GEL) in the Otway Basin was offered by the South Australian Government on the basis of work program bidding.
A key motivation for the acreage release is the looming shortfall in energy supply in the southeast Australian gas market. The South Australian onshore Otway Basin is in a strategic location for discovering natural gas and for gas storage.
OT2025 acreage release brochure (PDF, 20.2 MB)
Application and award process
Winning bidders will be selected on the basis of the total five-year work program bid. The work program must be completed within the overall area of the RSEL, GSEL or GEL. It must include a statement of exploratory operations the applicant proposes to carry out in the first five-year licence term. It is expected that at least one exploration well would be included in the program. The Minister is expected to announce the winning bidder(s), together with details of work programs, in early 2026.
In general, it is important to note that the timing of well drilling and seismic or other data acquisition will be taken into account. Key assessment criteria include but are not necessarily limited to:
- the number of exploration wells to be drilled in the RSEL, GSEL or GEL, their nature of subsurface targets to be drilled and their timing
- A key motivation for the acreage release is the looming shortfall in energy supply in the southeast Australian gas market. Therefore, exploration wells for hydrocarbons will count more than wells for natural hydrogen.
- the extent to which proposed wells are supported by existing or new programmed seismic data
- the amount and nature of seismic surveying (i.e. 2D versus 3D) to be carried out and its timing
- other data acquisition (e.g. gravity, aeromagnetic, soil gas sampling or other geochemical surveys)
- seismic reprocessing to be carried out
- the adequacy of the applicant’s financial resources and technical expertise to satisfactorily undertake the proposed work program and overall regulatory compliance.
OT2025 application and award procedures (PDF, 244.4 KB)
OT2025 bid assessment policy (PDF, 233.0 KB)
OT2025 RSEL-A Application Form (DOCX, 993.2 KB)
OT2025 RSEL-B Application Form (DOCX, 958.2 KB)
OT2025 RSEL-C Application Form (DOCX, 917.8 KB)
OT2025 RSEL-D Application Form (DOCX, 763.1 KB)
OT2025 RSEL-E Application Form (DOCX, 860.6 KB)
OT2025 GSEL-A Application Form (DOCX, 976.2 KB)
OT2025 GSEL-B Application Form (DOCX, 871.8 KB)
OT2025 GSEL-C Application Form (DOCX, 729.1 KB)
OT2025 GEL-A Application Form (DOCX, 902.4 KB)
Applications closed 31 October 2025.
Data and information
A data package has been prepared including a GIS shapefile dataset and ESRI ArcGIS project, the acreage release blocks tenement maps, and other selected references.
OT2025 acreage release data package
Useful links
The Petroleum Geology of South Australia Volume 1. Otway Basin (2nd Edition)
Otway Basin Petroleum Systems Model 2023
2024 Otway Basin play analysis
Workstation-ready 2D and 3D SEGY dataset for the SA Onshore Otway Basin
Petroleum Exploration and Production System (PEPS-SA)
Energy Resources Regulations 2013
Environmental Impact Assessment Criteria
Holders of energy resources tenements in South Australia
Natural hydrogen in South Australia
Contact and enquiries
Comments and enquiries for all blocks should be addressed to:
Director, Geological Survey of South Australia, Department for Energy and Mining
Email DEM.EnergyResourcesAcreageRelease@sa.gov.au
