Explorers Negotiate with Aboriginals by Hon Stephen Baker MP

Explorers Negotiate With Aboriginals By Hon Stephen Baker MP

group of explo rers has been given NORTHERN 134. TERRITORY Aapproval to enter into negotiations w ith Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AP) and Maralinga Tjarutja (MT) for permission to undertake a proposed $9 million petroleum exploration program on Aboriginal lands in the north west of the State. PrrJANT JAT JARA LANDS

Both the AP and M T have welcomed the opportunity to begin negotiations w ith the explorers.

Fi rst Sourcenergy and its Australian partners, Traditional O il, j.F. Allender, and Oakman have applied for a Petroleum Exploration Licence covering an area of 24,397 square kilometres in the Officer Basin extending into both AP and MT lands. The proposed five• year exploration program involves a number of seismic s urveys and the drilling of four ~ wells. lii "'~ Minister for Mines Stephen Baker announced today that he has given approval for the joint venture, led by First Sourcenergy, to apply to AP and MT for permission to carry o ut pet roleum exploration within the Pitjantjatjara and Maralinga Lands.

AP D irector Puntju Thompson sa id oil and gas production could provide significant 100 200 economic benefits to A P members. "AP has a KLOMETRES long record of co-operation with oil explorers and the South Australian Department of Mines and Energy in the Officer Basin and PETROLEUM TENEMENTS anticipates that the forthcoming negotiations will proceed smoothly in accordance w ith the =--~---~ :::,.,~ lk:wn fSSl Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act," Mr Thompson said. 34.

omcer Basn - south Aus1lolla The Administrator of MT, Dr Archie Barton, PETROLEUM TENEMENTS and ABORIGiNAL LANDS sa id the MT had a long history of successful agreements w ith m ineral and petroleum explo rers in the Officer Basin and the Gawler Craton. "The application w ill be c onsidered pursuant to the mining provisions of the M T Land Rights Act and past agreements w ill be used as a model for this proposal," Dr Barton said. petroleum explorers provide a usefu l basis for assisted in attracting the interest of First First Sourcenergy is a subsidiary o f the discussions a nd w e are hopeful that these Sourcenergy and partners. M ic higan-based Geostar Corporation which negotiations can be successfully completed to has geophysical contracting and exploration allow petroleum exploration licences to be " The Cooper, Officer, Otway, Arrow ie, interests in North America. First Sourcenergy issued early in the new year," Mr Baker said. Stansbury, Murray and Eromanga Basins are has recently opened an Adelaide office to all attracting interest and I am optimistic that manage its operations throughout Australia. Aeromagnetic a nd seismic su rveys, new discoveries can be made that w ill boost undertaken in the Officer Basin as part of the economic growth and add to our energy self• "Previous agreements between AP and South Australian Exploration Initiative, have sufficiency," Mr Baker sa id.