Western Australia opens geothermal acreage nominations

Western Australia (source: flickr/ Dinaiz, creative commons)

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) of Western Australia is now accepting nominations for areas to be considered in the 2024 geothermal exploration acreage release. The nomination period has just opened and will close on 23 December 2023.

DMIRS expects to announce the final areas and open them for bidding mid-2024. More information on qualifications and the process of nomination is available via this link.

DMIRS will will assess and consider submissions for this year’s release. While the nomination of an area does not guarantee its inclusion, it may be considered for potential future release. If a nominated area is released, there will be an expectation for the nominee to submit a bid.

DMIRS will take into account such factors as:

• Level of industry interest in exploring the area.
• Previous interest and exploration in the nominated area.
• Conservation estates and other environmental considerations.
• Native Title considerations.
• New data or geologic knowledge affecting increased prospectivity of the area.

DMIRS Resource Tenure Executive Director Kristian Dawson said the department was committed to promoting geothermal exploration by calling for industry to help shape the future of the sector.

“Industry has shown strong interest in geothermal exploration with seven exploration permits granted in the past 12 months and many more in the pipeline,” said Dawson.  “We will continue to support opportunities to invest in new energy sources that will play a role in achieving the State’s objective of net-zero emissions by 2050.”

Source: Government of Western Australia Department of Mines, Industry Regulation, and Safety