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Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia

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Expenditure and metres drilled in exploration for minerals and petroleum. Classified by state and commodity, and onshore/offshore for petroleum

Reference period

December 2019

Released

2/03/2020

View all releases

Mineral exploration

Total expenditure

The trend estimate for total mineral exploration expenditure increased 5.1% ($34.9m) to $717.1m in the December quarter 2019. The largest contributor to the increase in the trend estimate this quarter was Western Australia (up 5.1%, $21.6m). The current quarter estimate is 26.4% higher than the December quarter 2018 estimate.
The seasonally adjusted estimate for mineral exploration expenditure rose 5.6% ($38.3m) to $722.1m in the December quarter 2019. The largest contributor to the rise this quarter was Western Australia (up 3.3%, $14.2m).

Mineral exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Dec 2011	976	997
Mar 2012	1,043	1,023
Jun 2012	1,011	975
Sep 2012	852	891
Dec 2012	780	805
Mar 2013	794	740
Jun 2013	639	672
Sep 2013	603	588
Dec 2013	516	528
Mar 2014	484	496
Jun 2014	500	472
Sep 2014	428	451
Dec 2014	431	413
Mar 2015	377	377
Jun 2015	336	358
Sep 2015	367	352
Dec 2015	358	354
Mar 2016	346	349
Jun 2016	345	346
Sep 2016	355	356
Dec 2016	379	376
Mar 2017	395	400
Jun 2017	432	423
Sep 2017	445	447
Dec 2017	469	479
Mar 2018	520	514
Jun 2018	550	540
Sep 2018	550	554
Dec 2018	561	567
Mar 2019	596	597
Jun 2019	641	640
Sep 2019	684	682
Dec 2019	722	717

Mineral exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[975.5],[1042.5999999999999],[1011.4],[852.39999999999998],[779.5],[793.60000000000002],[639.39999999999998],[603.39999999999998],[516.20000000000005],[484.19999999999999],[500.10000000000002],[428.30000000000001],[430.5],[377.10000000000002],[336.10000000000002],[367.39999999999998],[358],[345.5],[344.60000000000002],[354.5],[379],[395.39999999999998],[431.80000000000001],[444.69999999999999],[468.60000000000002],[519.60000000000002],[549.70000000000005],[550],[561.39999999999998],[595.5],[640.5],[683.79999999999995],[722.10000000000002]],[[997.29999999999995],[1022.5],[975.39999999999998],[890.70000000000005],[805.29999999999995],[739.89999999999998],[671.70000000000005],[588.20000000000005],[527.60000000000002],[496],[472.39999999999998],[450.60000000000002],[413.30000000000001],[377.10000000000002],[358.19999999999999],[352.39999999999998],[354.10000000000002],[349.30000000000001],[346.19999999999999],[355.89999999999998],[375.80000000000001],[400.39999999999998],[423.30000000000001],[447.10000000000002],[478.69999999999999],[513.5],[540.39999999999998],[553.60000000000002],[567.29999999999995],[596.5],[639.5],[682.20000000000005],[717.10000000000002]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"200","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"1200","axis_title":"$m","precision":"0","table_units":"($m)","tooltip_units":"(m)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

In original terms, mineral exploration expenditure rose 4.9% ($35.7m) to $760.5m in the December quarter 2019. Exploration on areas of existing deposits rose 8.1% ($34.3m) and expenditure on areas of new deposits rose 0.5% ($1.4m).
In original terms, the largest increase by minerals sought came from expenditure on Gold (up 7.5%, ($21.1m).

Mineral exploration, original series
	Selected base metals total ($m)	Gold ($m)	Iron ore ($m)	All other ($m)
Dec 2011	186.8	200.0	311.8	333.7
Mar 2012	184.0	168.8	267.9	255.4
Jun 2012	220.2	215.0	336.2	277.5
Sep 2012	167.5	194.4	280.5	252.3
Dec 2012	161.0	162.7	278.4	221.8
Mar 2013	110.5	154.7	248.2	158.9
Jun 2013	124.7	150.0	204.2	185.8
Sep 2013	105.5	132.2	222.2	165.8
Dec 2013	75.0	116.5	184.2	171.6
Mar 2014	63.0	81.7	115.2	147.7
Jun 2014	78.4	103.9	189.0	143.3
Sep 2014	81.7	90.0	142.9	140.7
Dec 2014	80.1	101.7	145.1	132.3
Mar 2015	59.2	91.6	82.5	84.0
Jun 2015	58.0	112.4	77.2	97.0
Sep 2015	61.4	133.7	82.2	116.5
Dec 2015	58.2	138.2	74.5	110.4
Mar 2016	56.6	119.3	57.7	56.2
Jun 2016	54.8	156.9	76.8	65.5
Sep 2016	59.0	159.1	79.8	81.5
Dec 2016	63.4	182.3	73.7	82.0
Mar 2017	54.4	155.2	53.5	71.5
Jun 2017	94.1	192.6	84.3	73.9
Sep 2017	111.7	192.9	83.8	86.7
Dec 2017	120.6	208.9	68.9	96.9
Mar 2018	110.8	187.4	50.1	90.3
Jun 2018	153.1	220.9	89.0	104.8
Sep 2018	146.2	239.7	86.3	113.0
Dec 2018	157.9	244.1	75.5	115.1
Mar 2019	128.1	223.0	67.4	86.0
Jun 2019	188.6	259.8	94.8	121.7
Sep 2019	208.7	281.3	102.8	132.2
Dec 2019	203.8	302.4	84.6	169.7

Mineral exploration, original series

["","Selected base metals total","Gold","Iron ore","All other"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[186.80000000000001],[184],[220.19999999999999],[167.5],[161],[110.5],[124.7],[105.5],[75],[63],[78.400000000000006],[81.700000000000003],[80.099999999999994],[59.200000000000003],[58],[61.399999999999999],[58.200000000000003],[56.600000000000001],[54.799999999999997],[59],[63.399999999999999],[54.399999999999999],[94.099999999999994],[111.7],[120.59999999999999],[110.8],[153.09999999999999],[146.19999999999999],[157.90000000000001],[128.09999999999999],[188.59999999999999],[208.69999999999999],[203.80000000000001]],[[200],[168.80000000000001],[215],[194.40000000000001],[162.69999999999999],[154.69999999999999],[150],[132.19999999999999],[116.5],[81.700000000000003],[103.90000000000001],[90],[101.7],[91.599999999999994],[112.40000000000001],[133.69999999999999],[138.19999999999999],[119.3],[156.90000000000001],[159.09999999999999],[182.30000000000001],[155.19999999999999],[192.59999999999999],[192.90000000000001],[208.90000000000001],[187.40000000000001],[220.90000000000001],[239.69999999999999],[244.09999999999999],[223],[259.80000000000001],[281.30000000000001],[302.39999999999998]],[[311.80000000000001],[267.89999999999998],[336.19999999999999],[280.5],[278.39999999999998],[248.19999999999999],[204.19999999999999],[222.19999999999999],[184.19999999999999],[115.2],[189],[142.90000000000001],[145.09999999999999],[82.5],[77.200000000000003],[82.200000000000003],[74.5],[57.700000000000003],[76.799999999999997],[79.799999999999997],[73.700000000000003],[53.5],[84.299999999999997],[83.799999999999997],[68.900000000000006],[50.100000000000001],[89],[86.299999999999997],[75.5],[67.400000000000006],[94.799999999999997],[102.8],[84.599999999999994]],[[333.69999999999999],[255.40000000000001],[277.5],[252.30000000000001],[221.80000000000001],[158.90000000000001],[185.80000000000001],[165.80000000000001],[171.59999999999999],[147.69999999999999],[143.30000000000001],[140.69999999999999],[132.30000000000001],[84],[97],[116.5],[110.40000000000001],[56.200000000000003],[65.5],[81.5],[82],[71.5],[73.900000000000006],[86.700000000000003],[96.900000000000006],[90.299999999999997],[104.8],[113],[115.09999999999999],[86],[121.7],[132.19999999999999],[169.69999999999999]]]

[]

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Metres drilled

The trend estimate for metres drilled rose 0.9% in the December quarter 2019. Compared with the December quarter 2018 estimate, the current quarter rose 1.2% (29.7km) to 2608.5km.
The seasonally adjusted estimate for metres drilled rose 3.9% in the December quarter 2019.

Metres drilled, seaonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ('000)	Trend ('000)
Dec 2011	2,867	2,898
Mar 2012	2,904	2,891
Jun 2012	2,793	2,740
Sep 2012	2,465	2,468
Dec 2012	2,113	2,171
Mar 2013	1,956	1,944
Jun 2013	1,827	1,820
Sep 2013	1,695	1,723
Dec 2013	1,707	1,623
Mar 2014	1,457	1,549
Jun 2014	1,549	1,528
Sep 2014	1,544	1,537
Dec 2014	1,559	1,522
Mar 2015	1,441	1,455
Jun 2015	1,406	1,433
Sep 2015	1,462	1,487
Dec 2015	1,627	1,576
Mar 2016	1,632	1,630
Jun 2016	1,640	1,645
Sep 2016	1,672	1,690
Dec 2016	1,789	1,810
Mar 2017	1,982	1,963
Jun 2017	2,104	2,073
Sep 2017	2,132	2,123
Dec 2017	2,123	2,174
Mar 2018	2,294	2,301
Jun 2018	2,450	2,433
Sep 2018	2,608	2,540
Dec 2018	2,445	2,579
Mar 2019	2,730	2,570
Jun 2019	2,459	2,566
Sep 2019	2,575	2,586
Dec 2019	2,675	2,609

Metres drilled, seaonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[2866.8000000000002],[2903.5999999999999],[2793.1999999999998],[2464.5],[2113.3000000000002],[1955.5999999999999],[1827],[1694.5999999999999],[1707.4000000000001],[1457.2],[1549],[1543.9000000000001],[1558.7],[1440.8],[1406],[1462.2],[1627.3],[1632.4000000000001],[1639.9000000000001],[1671.7],[1788.7],[1981.9000000000001],[2104.1999999999998],[2131.5],[2123.0999999999999],[2293.8000000000002],[2450.1999999999998],[2607.8000000000002],[2445],[2729.8000000000002],[2459.4000000000001],[2575.1999999999998],[2675.1999999999998]],[[2897.8000000000002],[2890.5],[2739.9000000000001],[2467.5999999999999],[2171.4000000000001],[1944.0999999999999],[1820],[1722.5999999999999],[1622.9000000000001],[1549],[1528.2],[1537.0999999999999],[1521.8],[1455.2],[1433.3],[1486.8],[1576.4000000000001],[1629.5],[1645.4000000000001],[1689.8],[1809.9000000000001],[1963.4000000000001],[2073.0999999999999],[2123.1999999999998],[2173.5999999999999],[2300.8000000000002],[2433.3000000000002],[2539.5999999999999],[2578.8000000000002],[2570.0999999999999],[2566.3000000000002],[2585.8000000000002],[2608.5]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"1000","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"4000","axis_title":"'000","precision":"0","table_units":"('000)","tooltip_units":"('000)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

In original terms, metres drilled fell 2.0%. Drilling in areas of new deposits fell -18.0% and drilling in areas of existing deposits rose 8.7%.

Metres drilled, original series
	New deposits ('000)	Existing deposits ('000)
Dec 2011	1,008	1,947
Mar 2012	583	1,689
Jun 2012	1,071	1,952
Sep 2012	943	1,771
Dec 2012	677	1,502
Mar 2013	417	1,118
Jun 2013	693	1,300
Sep 2013	593	1,254
Dec 2013	396	1,368
Mar 2014	300	848
Jun 2014	309	1,386
Sep 2014	397	1,272
Dec 2014	492	1,121
Mar 2015	242	899
Jun 2015	438	1,103
Sep 2015	341	1,233
Dec 2015	442	1,240
Mar 2016	307	995
Jun 2016	418	1,376
Sep 2016	539	1,258
Dec 2016	659	1,184
Mar 2017	484	1,118
Jun 2017	683	1,616
Sep 2017	842	1,452
Dec 2017	766	1,410
Mar 2018	632	1,222
Jun 2018	972	1,701
Sep 2018	1,042	1,779
Dec 2018	949	1,545
Mar 2019	755	1,460
Jun 2019	924	1,756
Sep 2019	1,116	1,665
Dec 2019	914	1,809

Metres drilled, original series

["","New deposits","Existing deposits"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[1008.4],[582.79999999999995],[1071.2],[943.10000000000002],[677.39999999999998],[416.69999999999999],[692.5],[592.70000000000005],[396.10000000000002],[300],[308.80000000000001],[397.19999999999999],[491.89999999999998],[242.09999999999999],[438.10000000000002],[341.10000000000002],[442.39999999999998],[306.60000000000002],[418.19999999999999],[539.10000000000002],[658.70000000000005],[484],[682.60000000000002],[841.60000000000002],[766.10000000000002],[631.70000000000005],[971.79999999999995],[1041.7],[949.29999999999995],[755.39999999999998],[923.79999999999995],[1115.8],[914.39999999999998]],[[1947.2],[1688.8],[1952.4000000000001],[1771.0999999999999],[1501.5999999999999],[1117.5999999999999],[1300],[1253.5999999999999],[1368.0999999999999],[848.10000000000002],[1386],[1271.8],[1121.2],[898.60000000000002],[1103.3],[1232.7],[1240.2],[994.79999999999995],[1376.4000000000001],[1257.9000000000001],[1183.9000000000001],[1117.5],[1616.2],[1452.4000000000001],[1409.8],[1221.9000000000001],[1701],[1778.5999999999999],[1545.2],[1460.4000000000001],[1755.9000000000001],[1664.5],[1809]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"500","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"2000","axis_title":"'000","precision":"0","table_units":"('000)","tooltip_units":"('000)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Petroleum exploration

Total expenditure

The trend estimate for total petroleum exploration expenditure rose 11.0% ($40.8m) to $410.1m in the December quarter 2019. Exploration expenditure on production leases rose 37.6% ($30.7m) and exploration expenditure on all other areas rose 2.3% ($6.7m).
The seasonally adjusted estimate for total petroleum exploration expenditure rose 8.6% ($32.1m) to $405.0m in the December quarter 2019. Exploration expenditure on production leases rose 61.7% ($48.0m) and exploration expenditure on all other areas fell 5.4% (-$15.9m).
The largest contributor to the rise in the trend estimate was Queensland (up 21.5%, $10.6m) and the largest contributor to the rise in the seasonally adjusted estimate was Northern Territory (up 63.6%, $30.0m).

Petroleum exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Dec 2011	857	763
Mar 2012	625	761
Jun 2012	898	901
Sep 2012	1,115	1,096
Dec 2012	1,333	1,204
Mar 2013	1,053	1,183
Jun 2013	1,289	1,128
Sep 2013	1,135	1,103
Dec 2013	1,053	1,105
Mar 2014	1,110	1,072
Jun 2014	1,539	1,057
Sep 2014	983	1,066
Dec 2014	1,110	1,043
Mar 2015	996	944
Jun 2015	699	760
Sep 2015	581	585
Dec 2015	465	473
Mar 2016	452	400
Jun 2016	279	341
Sep 2016	353	325
Dec 2016	323	341
Mar 2017	380	353
Jun 2017	322	328
Sep 2017	282	278
Dec 2017	235	236
Mar 2018	205	237
Jun 2018	297	275
Sep 2018	308	306
Dec 2018	337	308
Mar 2019	253	305
Jun 2019	350	330
Sep 2019	373	369
Dec 2019	405	410

Petroleum exploration, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[857.39999999999998],[625.39999999999998],[898.10000000000002],[1115.2],[1333.4000000000001],[1053],[1288.8],[1135.4000000000001],[1053.4000000000001],[1109.5],[1538.5],[982.70000000000005],[1109.5999999999999],[996],[698.79999999999995],[580.70000000000005],[465],[451.60000000000002],[279.10000000000002],[352.69999999999999],[323.19999999999999],[380.10000000000002],[322.19999999999999],[282.30000000000001],[235.30000000000001],[204.80000000000001],[296.80000000000001],[307.89999999999998],[337.10000000000002],[252.59999999999999],[350.10000000000002],[372.89999999999998],[405]],[[763.39999999999998],[760.79999999999995],[901],[1096],[1204.0999999999999],[1182.5],[1128.3],[1102.7],[1104.8],[1072.0999999999999],[1056.8],[1065.5999999999999],[1043.4000000000001],[943.89999999999998],[759.60000000000002],[584.89999999999998],[473.30000000000001],[399.60000000000002],[341.19999999999999],[325],[340.80000000000001],[353.39999999999998],[327.5],[278.19999999999999],[236.09999999999999],[236.69999999999999],[275.19999999999999],[305.69999999999999],[307.80000000000001],[304.80000000000001],[330],[369.30000000000001],[410.10000000000002]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"200","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"1600","axis_title":"$m","precision":"0","table_units":"($m)","tooltip_units":"(m)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Onshore

The trend estimate for onshore petroleum exploration expenditure rose 24.4% ($39.6m) to $201.6m in the December quarter 2019. Expenditure on drilling rose 21.4% ($22.7m) and other onshore petroleum exploration expenditure rose 28.1% ($15.7m).
The seasonally adjusted estimate for onshore petroleum exploration expenditure rose 36.3% ($57.3m) to $215.2m in the December quarter 2019. Expenditure on drilling rose 6.3% ($7.5m) and other onshore petroleum exploration rose 127.0% ($49.8m).

Petroleum exploration - onshore, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Dec 2011	242.7	225.5
Mar 2012	185.8	219.9
Jun 2012	242.3	233.4
Sep 2012	270.3	268.2
Dec 2012	307.0	303.9
Mar 2013	315.2	323.1
Jun 2013	471.6	320.3
Sep 2013	302.6	302.9
Dec 2013	262.6	284.7
Mar 2014	299.1	273.8
Jun 2014	451.1	290.3
Sep 2014	299.2	318.9
Dec 2014	378.6	334.1
Mar 2015	299.9	317.2
Jun 2015	262.0	263.3
Sep 2015	201.8	197.4
Dec 2015	138.3	137.2
Mar 2016	85.2	92.8
Jun 2016	65.0	73.1
Sep 2016	98.6	79.5
Dec 2016	73.1	100.8
Mar 2017	141.2	117.8
Jun 2017	118.8	116.8
Sep 2017	95.7	99.3
Dec 2017	75.0	80.8
Mar 2018	79.9	82.4
Jun 2018	99.1	95.0
Sep 2018	105.4	104.3
Dec 2018	111.8	104.7
Mar 2019	97.4	105.9
Jun 2019	122.2	126.6
Sep 2019	157.9	162.0
Dec 2019	215.2	201.6

Petroleum exploration - onshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[242.69999999999999],[185.80000000000001],[242.30000000000001],[270.30000000000001],[307],[315.19999999999999],[471.60000000000002],[302.60000000000002],[262.60000000000002],[299.10000000000002],[451.10000000000002],[299.19999999999999],[378.60000000000002],[299.89999999999998],[262],[201.80000000000001],[138.30000000000001],[85.200000000000003],[65],[98.599999999999994],[73.099999999999994],[141.19999999999999],[118.8],[95.700000000000003],[75],[79.900000000000006],[99.099999999999994],[105.40000000000001],[111.8],[97.400000000000006],[122.2],[157.90000000000001],[215.19999999999999]],[[225.5],[219.90000000000001],[233.40000000000001],[268.19999999999999],[303.89999999999998],[323.10000000000002],[320.30000000000001],[302.89999999999998],[284.69999999999999],[273.80000000000001],[290.30000000000001],[318.89999999999998],[334.10000000000002],[317.19999999999999],[263.30000000000001],[197.40000000000001],[137.19999999999999],[92.799999999999997],[73.099999999999994],[79.5],[100.8],[117.8],[116.8],[99.299999999999997],[80.799999999999997],[82.400000000000006],[95],[104.3],[104.7],[105.90000000000001],[126.59999999999999],[162],[201.59999999999999]]]

[]

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[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"100","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"500","axis_title":"$m","precision":"","table_units":"($m)","tooltip_units":"(m)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"$","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Offshore

The trend estimate for offshore petroleum exploration expenditure rose 0.3% ($0.7m) to $208.0m in the December quarter 2019. Expenditure on drilling rose 3.9% ($4.0m) and other offshore petroleum exploration expenditure fell 3.3% (-$3.4m).
The seasonally adjusted estimate for offshore petroleum exploration expenditure fell 11.7% (-$25.2m) to $189.8m in the December quarter 2019. Expenditure on drilling fell 23.3% (-$28.1m) and other offshore petroleum exploration expenditure rose 3.1% ($2.9m).

Petroleum exploration - offshore, seasonally adjusted and trend
	Seasonally adjusted ($m)	Trend ($m)
Dec 2011	615	538
Mar 2012	440	541
Jun 2012	656	668
Sep 2012	845	828
Dec 2012	1,026	900
Mar 2013	738	859
Jun 2013	817	808
Sep 2013	833	800
Dec 2013	791	820
Mar 2014	810	798
Jun 2014	1,088	767
Sep 2014	684	747
Dec 2014	731	709
Mar 2015	696	627
Jun 2015	437	496
Sep 2015	379	387
Dec 2015	327	336
Mar 2016	366	307
Jun 2016	214	268
Sep 2016	254	246
Dec 2016	250	240
Mar 2017	239	236
Jun 2017	203	211
Sep 2017	187	179
Dec 2017	160	155
Mar 2018	125	154
Jun 2018	198	180
Sep 2018	203	201
Dec 2018	225	203
Mar 2019	155	199
Jun 2019	228	204
Sep 2019	215	207
Dec 2019	190	208

Petroleum exploration - offshore, seasonally adjusted and trend

["","Seasonally adjusted","Trend"]

[["Dec 2011","Mar 2012","Jun 2012","Sep 2012","Dec 2012","Mar 2013","Jun 2013","Sep 2013","Dec 2013","Mar 2014","Jun 2014","Sep 2014","Dec 2014","Mar 2015","Jun 2015","Sep 2015","Dec 2015","Mar 2016","Jun 2016","Sep 2016","Dec 2016","Mar 2017","Jun 2017","Sep 2017","Dec 2017","Mar 2018","Jun 2018","Sep 2018","Dec 2018","Mar 2019","Jun 2019","Sep 2019","Dec 2019"],[[614.60000000000002],[439.60000000000002],[655.89999999999998],[844.89999999999998],[1026.4000000000001],[737.79999999999995],[817.10000000000002],[832.89999999999998],[790.79999999999995],[810.29999999999995],[1087.5],[683.5],[730.89999999999998],[696.10000000000002],[436.69999999999999],[378.89999999999998],[326.69999999999999],[366.30000000000001],[214.09999999999999],[254.09999999999999],[250],[238.90000000000001],[203.40000000000001],[186.59999999999999],[160.30000000000001],[124.90000000000001],[197.69999999999999],[202.5],[225.30000000000001],[155.19999999999999],[227.90000000000001],[215],[189.80000000000001]],[[537.89999999999998],[540.89999999999998],[667.60000000000002],[827.79999999999995],[900.10000000000002],[859.39999999999998],[808],[799.79999999999995],[820.10000000000002],[798.39999999999998],[766.5],[746.70000000000005],[709.29999999999995],[626.60000000000002],[496.39999999999998],[387.39999999999998],[336.10000000000002],[306.80000000000001],[268.10000000000002],[245.59999999999999],[240],[235.59999999999999],[210.69999999999999],[178.90000000000001],[155.30000000000001],[154.30000000000001],[180.30000000000001],[201.40000000000001],[203],[198.90000000000001],[203.5],[207.30000000000001],[208]]]

[]

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Data downloads

Table 1. Private exploration, actual and expected expenditure

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Table 2. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure and metres drilled

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Table 3b. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by type of deposit

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Table 4. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by state and territory

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Table 5. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by mineral sought

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Table 6a. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by onshore and offshore

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Table 6b. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by type of lease

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Table 7. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by state and territory

Data files

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Methodology

Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia methodology, December 2019

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APA

Citation

Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia

APA

Citation

Mineral exploration

Total expenditure

Metres drilled

Petroleum exploration

Total expenditure

Onshore

Offshore

Inquiries

Data downloads

Table 1. Private exploration, actual and expected expenditure

Table 2. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure and metres drilled

Table 3b. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by type of deposit

Table 4. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by state and territory

Table 5. Mineral exploration, (other than for petroleum) - expenditure by mineral sought

Table 6a. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by onshore and offshore

Table 6b. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by type of lease

Table 7. Petroleum exploration, expenditure by state and territory

Methodology

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