Public release of offshore petroleum data

Detailed information regarding the release of offshore petroleum data can be found in Part 8, Division 3 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2011.

• Certain information about well and survey activities is defined under regulation as open information (also known as 'always open' information). This includes the name, location, type or purpose, and other general information relating to the activity being undertaken. The National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) may make open information about a well or survey publicly known via the NOPIMS at any time.

• The earliest release date for basic well data and reports is two years from the end of the activity. Where permits expire through surrender, cancellation, revocation or termination the data becomes releasable on the day of expiry.

• Release provisions for basic survey data can vary according to survey type, permit type, and commercial intent (exclusivity). The earliest release is three years from the end of the activity. Confidentiality periods of up to 15 years may apply. Please direct questions regarding the release provisions to data@nopta.gov.au or visit the NOPTA Public release of data webpage.

Digital reports and data

Geoscience Australia houses one of the world's largest collections of petroleum data. Much of this data is non-confidential and available to the petroleum industry, research organisations and the public. The collection includes seismic survey data and well data submitted by industry under legislative requirements as well as data collected by research projects and marine surveys undertaken by Geoscience Australia or other government agencies or institutions. The collections comprise three kinds of data:

• Physical specimens and samples of geoscience material

• Digital data such as:

  • 2D and 3D seismic survey field data, navigation data, processed data, velocity data, observer's logs, operational reports, processing reports, bathymetry data, potential field data (gravity and magnetic)
  • Well completion reports, well logs, destructive analysis reports, vertical seismic profiles, core photography, special studies

• Hard-copies submitted during the pre-digital era including seismic sections and other analogue formats

NOPIMS is being progressively populated with all the well and seismic digital data currently available on our system. This data can be either downloaded or packaged on demand on HDDs or tapes using the Add to Order functionality.

Where data is not available digitally, please contact ausgeodata@ga.gov.au and we will provide you with all the relevant information.

More information about our collections can also be found on GA's internet web page:

http://www.ga.gov.au/about/projects/resources/petroleum-data-repository

Access to core and cuttings

The National Offshore Petroleum Data and Core Repository is a collaboration between Geoscience Australia, the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA), and the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA). Although the cores and cuttings collected in Commonwealth waters are managed spatially in separated repositories, their access has been centralised in NOPIMS so as to provide an efficient and effective service to clients. The following conditions to sampling apply:

To check if mining samples are available for viewing and sampling, please click here to access the Core Library search page.

1. Permission will be given only after an examination of current Repository holdings has been completed by respective staff and after the supply of a comprehensive list of material to be removed for analysis.

2. Approval is subject to the volumes of material available and a review of the results obtained from previous destructive analyses.

3. When sampling core for destructive analysis, the minimum sample amount required to complete the analysis should be taken. It is expected that the sample will be consumed in analysis; however, if the core is not destroyed, contaminated or consumed, it is to be returned to the core facility of origin within six months of the sampling date. Core sampling will be limited to a ¼ core section by volume and representative ¼ core section will be retained for archiving purposes.

4. When sampling cuttings for destructive analysis, the minimum sample amount required to complete the analysis should be taken. It is expected that the sample will be consumed in analysis; however, if the cuttings are not destroyed, contaminated or consumed, it is to be returned to the core facility of origin within six months of the sampling date. Cuttings will be limited to 10g per interval and 50g will be retained for archiving purposes. Samples from cuttings must be representative of the total sample (selective sampling of chips from a particular lithology is not permitted).

5. A detailed inventory of all samples and volumes taken from each well and the purpose for which they were taken is to be supplied at the completion of sampling.

6. For WA State wells one copy of the report with results and methods of all analyses must be submitted within six months of the sampling date, on digital media to:

   The Manager
   Petroleum Exploration Data
   Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
   1st Floor, 100 Plain Street
   East Perth WA 6004
   Alternatively, via email (10Mb limit) to petdata@dmirs.wa.gov.au
   

   For open file Commonwealth wells one copy of the report with results and methods of all analyses must be submitted within six months of the sampling date, on digital media to:

   The Manager, NOPDCR
   Geoscience Australia
   Repository and Data Management
   Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave & Hindmarsh Dr
   Symonston ACT 2609
   Alternatively, via email (15Mb limit) to ausgeosamples@ga.gov.au
   

   For confidential Commonwealth wells one copy of the report with results and methods of all analyses must be submitted within six months of the sampling date, on digital media to:

   The Manager, NOPTA Data Management
   National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator
   Level 8, Alluvion Building
   58 Mounts Bay Rd
   Perth WA 6000
   Alternatively, via email (15Mb limit) to data@nopta.gov.au
   

   Requests for extensions to submission timeframes must be applied for in writing to:
   petdata@dmirs.wa.gov.au for WA State wells
   ausgeosamples@ga.gov.au for open file Commonwealth wells
   data@nopta.gov.au for confidential Commonwealth wells
   

7. Analysis reports created from confidential sample access will remain in confidence until after the relevant day of the activity(s) has passed.
   Analysis reports created from open file samples will become publicly available shortly after receipt of the data.

8. All prepared slides (palynology/thin sections etc.) from both WA State and Commonwealth wells are to be submitted to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety within six months of the sampling date.

   The Manager
   Petroleum Exploration Data
   Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
   1st Floor, 100 Plain Street
   East Perth WA 6004
   

9. All samples to be sent for analysis overseas must be approved for export prior to shipment.
   Requests for approval to export, must be applied for in writing to:
   petdata@dmirs.wa.gov.au for WA State wells
   ausgeosamples@ga.gov.au for open file Commonwealth wells
   data@nopta.gov.au for confidential Commonwealth wells
   

Well Status in NOPIMS

The National Offshore Petroleum Information Management System (NOPIMS) has been developed as a collaborative initiative by WA Dept of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety, Geoscience Australia and the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) to provide access to technical data related to offshore wells and surveys. More recent data has been provided by industry primarily pursuant to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (OPGGS) Act 2006 and the OPGGS (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2011 (Parts 7 and 8). Data relating to well status is updated on an annual basis, most recently on 16th May 2022. The data is published for information only.

Spatial Representation of Survey Data in NOPIMS

While every effort is made to ensure that surveys are correctly located on the map, their location is only an aid to search and discovery of survey data. Proper submitted navigation/position data associated with the survey should be used to correctly locate a survey.

Surveys are spatially represented in NOPIMS by their post-plot navigation (i.e. actual survey data acquired and not the planned or pre-plot navigation).

3D surveys are spatially represented by their full fold data polygon (i.e. actual seismic data coverage), if this is not available the four sided binning polygon will be used instead. This means that the data coverage for a survey will most likely be less than its spatial representation.

2D surveys are spatially represented by “ends-and-bends” lines derived from the P1/90 processed navigation. For some older surveys, or where proper P1/90 navigation is not available, the survey lines are derived from digitized maps or other navigation data of unknown source, but verified against other available information.

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