Woodside is planning to conduct a marine seismic survey in exploration permit NT/P86 in Commonwealth waters offshore the Northern Territory. The survey will take place between 1 May and 16 August 2022 and is part of Woodside’s work program commitments for the permit. The proposed seismic survey is located fully within the Australian Commonwealth seabed extents of the Bonaparte Basin. The northern part of the survey extends beyond the limits of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (Commonwealth waters) within an area of overlapping jurisdiction (the 1997 Perth Treaty area), subject to the seabed jurisdiction of Australia and the water column jurisdiction of Indonesia.

The extent of the Active Source Area is approximately 16,373 km2, within which up to a maximum of 4475 full-fold line km of 2D seismic data will be acquired. The extent of the Operational Area is approximately 21,140 km2. The southern boundary of the Operational Area is located approximately 187 km north of Darwin and approximately 45 km north of Cape Van Diemen, on the north-west coast of Melville Island. The Operational Area overlaps with the Multiple Use Zone of the Oceanic Shoals Marine Park. Water depths within the Operational Area range from 11 m at Lynedoch Bank to 405 m at the northern extent of the Operational Area.