Geology and exploration

Oil and gas data

General data

The Australian Government's Australian Energy Update is the official source of energy data for Australia and forms the basis of Australia's international reporting obligations. It is updated annually and consists of detailed historical energy consumption, production and trade statistics.

Australia’s Energy Commodity Resources, also published by the Australian Government, is a national prospectus for energy investment and exports.

We produce an Annual Statistical Review at the end of the fiscal year. It includes statistical summaries of petroleum exploration, production activity, and reserves. From 2012 it reports only on Victorian onshore and offshore to the three nautical mile limit.

Data for Victoria's onshore and offshore coastal waters

The Geological Survey of Victoria undertakes regional studies over onshore Victoria and in offshore coastal waters. These studies and compilation data sets are available through Earth Resources Publications. Reports and data can be downloaded free of charge.

Spatial data related to petroleum exploration, tenements and infrastructure can be viewed (and in most cases exported) from the GeoVic web mapping application. Data includes:

  • Well locations/details
  • Seismic survey locations/details
  • Current oil and gas facilities including pipelines
  • Oil and gas fields in Victoria's offshore and onshore basins.

In addition to summary information, basic and interpretive data from past drilling and surveys can be downloaded for free, including:

  • Well completion reports
  • Geochemistry and bio-stratigraphic reports
  • Some raw log data and log images (e.g. composite plots)
  • Drilling reports.

Basic and interpretive data including well and seismic reports can also be obtained by contacting GSV's Petroleum Client Services Officers at energy.data@deeca.vic.gov.au.

Petroleum drill core

The Geological Survey of Victoria (GSV) actively collects petroleum core and cuttings according to the requirements of the relevant Petroleum Acts and Petroleum Submerged Lands Acts, and representative samples from mineral exploration conducted under the Minerals Resources (Sustainable Development) Act.

Core samples may be inspected at our Drill Core Library in Werribee, Victoria. Rock specimens from offshore drilling (excluding the three nautical mile zone) have been moved to the Perth Core Library, Western Australia.

Data for Commonwealth offshore waters

Statistical data

The Australian Government's Australian Petroleum Statistics provides monthly national and state petroleum statistical information for the following categories:

  • sales of petroleum products
  • exports and imports of petroleum products and crude oil
  • production of crude oil and condensate
  • refinery input and output
  • stocks of petroleum products

National production statistics (dating from 1969) are also available from the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA).

Geoscience Australia is responsible for petroleum data in Commonwealth waters beyond three nautical miles of the Australian coastline. Open file and publicly accessible seismic survey information is available through the Petroleum Information Management System database.

Spatial data

Current spatial data and maps for offshore Commonwealth waters can be accessed from the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA). NOPTA also manages the publicly accessible National Electronic Approvals Tracking System (NEATS) which provides details of all offshore (Commonwealth water) petroleum permits.

Page last updated: 23 Apr 2024