Licensing and approvals

‘Use it or lose it’ exploration and retention licence campaign

With most prospective areas of the state under current exploration or retention licences, we are taking steps to ensure that areas are being actively explored, maximising opportunity for discoveries.

In 2025 industry can expect

  • more education and guidance on expenditure and work program requirements
  • increased focus on expenditure and work program compliance
  • data requests and notices to address deficiencies in technical reports
  • refusal to grant new licences where current performance demonstrates lack of genuine intent to do work
  • opportunity to rationalize portfolios and surrender licences that are no longer a priority
  • procedural fairness and the opportunity to provide justification for part cancellations and intent to refuse to renew.

Key areas of the campaign

Education and communication

Support to comply through information and communication.

  • Regular communication and reminders about reporting requirements.
  • More education and guidance on expenditure and work program requirements.

Policy and guidance

Providing better guidance on requirements.

  • Guidance on combined reporting.
  • Overhauling expenditure reporting guidance to focus on real exploration work.

Reporting audits

Improving data quality in annual technical reports.

  • Engaging with licensees to ensure data meets national standards.
  • Making information publicly available when licences expire.
  • Increased focus on expenditure and work program compliance.
  • Data requests and notices to address deficiencies in technical reports.

Part-cancellations, transfers and surrenders

Reducing licence areas where lack of delivery on work program.

  • Enforcing part cancellation requirements for poor performers.
  • Encouraging licence surrender or transfer where company priorities shift.
  • Opportunity to rationalize portfolios and surrender licences that are no longer a priority.
  • Procedural fairness and the opportunity to provide justification for part cancellations and intent to refuse to renew.

Renewals

Fast tracking renewals for good performers.

  • Faster turnaround times for high performers.
  • Refusing renewal where no genuine intent to do work.
  • Refusal to grant new licences where current performance demonstrates lack of genuine intent to do work.

Page last updated: 11 Apr 2025