Bridgeport Energy named preferred bidder for Queensland Channel Country land
Bridgeport's chief executive expects it will probably take the best part of two years to gain approval to prospect.
Bridgeport Energy has been named the preferred tenderer for an extra 270,000 hectares in Queensland's Channel Country. The land sits between Innamincka and Thargomindah, along the South Australian-Queensland border.
The company says any fossil fuels taken from the new land will stay in Australia. Chief executive Christian Lange says approval to prospect will probably take the best part of two years.
Seismic surveys would come next, to check for enough oil or gas to be worth producing. The new sites are not inside the protected flood plains, where fracking was banned two years ago.
Traditional owners and graziers want assurances that significant flood plains will not be damaged. Lange says he wants to work very, very closely with landholders before any exploration starts.
- 270,000 hectares
- Tendered land
- Between Innamincka and Thargomindah
- Land location
- About 90,000 hectares
- Existing oil-producing acreage
- Probably the best part of two years
- Approval to prospect
Why it mattersThis shapes how close new oil and gas work gets to flood plains that graziers and traditional owners want undamaged.
AustraliaAny oil or gas produced would stay in Australia, which could help local fuel supply, though not for years.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 4 h ago
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