Amadeus Basin

The Neoproterozoic to Carboniferous Amadeus Basin is a large intracratonic sedimentary basin initiated as part of the Centralian Superbasin and substantially affected by intraplate tectonics. It overlies the Palaeoproterozoic Warumpi and Palaeo-Neoproterozoic Aileron provinces to the north and Mesoproterozoic Musgrave Province to the south and is overlain by the Mesozoic Eromanga and Phanerozoic Pedirka basins to the southeast.  The present-day Amadeus Basin is a structural remnant of a broad, shallow basin – it has been significantly tectonically modified during two major intracratonic orogenic events: the 580– 540 Ma Petermann Orogeny and the 450–300 Ma Alice Springs Orogeny. The Amadeus Basin sedimentary stratigraphy is dominated by dolostone, limestone, shale, sandstone, siltstone, quartzite, evaporite, diamictite, and conglomerate sequences.

The first significant technical petroleum discoveries in the Territory were in the Amadeus Basin.  Ooraminna-1 encountered a sub-commercial gas flow in 1963 followed by the discovery of the Mereenie oil and gas field in 1963 and Palm Valley gas field in 1964. Increased levels of exploration activity occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in the discovery of the Dingo gas field in 1981 and several other technical discoveries. Production commenced in the Palm Valley and Mereenie fields in 1983 and 1984 respectively, and commenced in the Dingo gas field in 2015. All three gas fields are currently producing. Exploration to further develop the deeper parts of the existing fields and assess the potential for large sub-salt petroleum, hydrogen and helium plays is ongoing.

Central Petroleum Ltd operates all the producing fields within the Amadeus Basin.

Annual production from the Amadeus Basin in 2025 was 12.57 billion standard cubic feet (bscf) of gas and 0.102 million barrels of oil (MMBbl).

Total production from the Amadeus Basin to the end of 2025 is is 520 Bscf of gas and 19 MMBbl.

Annual updated production figures can be found on the Department of Mining and Energy website.

The table below lists the best estimate of reserves (2P) and best estimate of contingent resources (2C) using the SPE-Petroleum Resources Management System for producing fields operated by Central Petroleum at December 2025.

^{1 Operator: Central Petroleum net share 25%, Echelon Resource (42.5%), Horizon (25%), Cue Energy (7.5%)}

^{2 Operator: Central Petroleum net share 50%, Echelon Resource (35%), Cue Energy (15%)}

^{3 Operator: Santos Ltd (70%), Central Petroleum (30%)}

Petroleum

The Amadeus Basin has substantial potential for the discovery of further conventional oil and gas resources. There are up to five conventional petroleum systems, including the Ordovician system that hosts the Mereenie and Palm Valley fields within the Larapinta Group rocks. Gas potential has also been identified at the Orraminna gas field, Magee-1, Orange  and West Walker-1 gas prospects (Munson, 2014). The Neoproterozoic lower Gillen-Heavitree System at the base of the basin also has potential for large scale sub-salt hydrocarbon plays.

Other energy potential

The Amadeus Basin is also highly prospective for naturally occurring hydrogen and helium within the sub-salt and intra-salt plays of the Neoproterozoic lower Gillen-Heavitree System in the southeastern part of the Basin.

The Amadeus Basin is also prospective for geothermal energy with potential high heat flow from the underlying basement rocks of the Warumpi Province and Musgrave Province rocks. The proximity to existing infrastructure also increases the potential of the Basin. Read more on the Geothermal energy potential of the Northern Territory.

The potential for geological carbon capture and storage in the Amadeus Basin is supported by the presence of porous sandstone and carbonate reservoirs and excellent seals of halite and anhydrite.

Mineral commodities

For an overview of the mineral prospectivity view the Geology of the Northern Territory Chapter 23 Amadeus Basin and the mineral commodities pages.

The Territory’s current onshore gas production is entirely sourced from Mereenie, Palm Valley and Dingo fields in the Amadeus Basin operated by Central Petroleum Ltd. In 2024, 11.663 Billion Standard Cubic Feet (BSCF) of gas was produced in the onshore Northern Territory, a 15% decrease on 2023. This comprised 7.38 BSCF from Mereenie, 2.69 BSCF from Palm Valley, and 1.59 BSCF from Dingo. Onshore oil production in the NT in 2024 was sourced entirely from the Mereenie Field, with 0.11 Million barrels (MMbbl) of oil produced.

The Mereenie Oil and Gas field was discovered in 1963 and commenced production in 1984. The hydrocarbons occur in an elongated four-way dip anticline with a length of 40 km, and a width of five kilometres. Sandstones of the Pacoota Formation host the majority of the hydrocarbons, but the overlying Stairway Sandstone has also produced gas while drilling, and several wells have been completed as gas producers. As of June 30 2024, the field has produced 19 MMbbl of oil and condensate, and over 310 PJ of natural gas. The Mereenie gas stream also contains about 0.2% helium. Proved and Probable (2P) reserves at Mereenie at June 30, 2024 are 0.36 MMbbl, with Contingent Resources (2C) of 0.05 MMbbl. Gas reserves are 36.6 PJ (2P), and 2C Contingent Resources of 45.6 PJ (PJ = Petajoules, 1 PJ = 0.981 billion cubic feet, and 0.028 billion cubic metres of natural gas).

The Mereenie Joint Venture (Echelon Resources Ltd 42.5%; Central Petroleum 25%; Horizon Oil 25%; Cure Energy 7.5%) commenced a two-well development drilling program at Mereenie in December 2024. The first well, West Mereenie-29 was completed at a 1474 m in the Pacoota-3 Sandstones and was tied to the Mereenie gathering system, with a stabilised production rate of 5 TJ/ day. Production commenced on January 20 2025, with the additional gas being supplied to the NT Government. West Mereenie-30 was spudded in January and was completed in February, and was expected to produce at, or above pre-drill expectations of 3 TJ/d. As a result, the Mereenie field is expected to have a production capacity above 30 TJ/d available to meet the long-term Gas Sales Agreement with the Northern Territory Government that underwrote the activity. Following the success of WM29, the Joint Venture is looking to prioritise increasing reserves and gas production from both Mereenie and Palm Valley through new development wells, and appraisal of the Stairway Sandstone. A new flare gas recovery compressor was brought online at Mereenie in March, capturing lowpressure waste gas and converting it to sales gas; this will reduce total CO2 -equivalent emissions by approximately one-third. Work continued on the feasibility and planning for a helium recovery plant through the year, but was suspended following a softening of the global helium market.

The Palm Valley gas field was discovered in 1965, with gas primarily in an extensive fracture system in the Lower Stairway Sandstone, Horn Valley Siltstone and the Pacoota Sandstone, at depths in the range 1800–2200 m. The anticlinal structure is approximately 29 km long and 14 km wide. Currently, Palm Valley is operated by Central Petroleum (50%), with Echelon Resources having a 35% interest and Cue Energy a 15% interest. Gas reserves at Palm Valley are 11.7 PJ (2P) with 6.5 PJ (2C) Contingent Resources. In 2024, the Palm Valley JV progressed planning and permitting for the drilling of two new appraisal wells, to increase field production capacity.

The Amadeus Sub-Salt Exploration project is a joint venture between Central Petroleum and Santos, with the latter being the operator. The project is exploring for subsalt hydrogen, helium and hydrocarbons beneath the thick salt of the Gillen Formation of the Bitter Springs Group. Helium concentration in the historical Magee-1 well was 6% He, and gas flows at the Mt Kitty well contained 9% He. Central had its project ownership interests returned to pre-farmout interests, following the termination of farmout arrangements with Peak Helium in 2023. Central and Santos were continuing to hold discussions on farmout agreements to fund exploration for sub-salt hydrogen, helium and hydrocarbons through 2024.

In September 2023, Greenvale Energy Ltd announced it had executed a Farm-in agreement with Mosman Oil and Gas Ltd to earn up to 75% in EP145, located east southeast of Mereenie. EP145 has Best Estimate Prospective Resources of 440 BCF gas, 26.4 BCF helium and 26.4 BCF hydrogen in the permit area. In October 2024, Greenvale pulled out of EP145, as they had changed their focus to uranium. In January 2025, EP145 became subject to a sale agreement between Mosman Oil and Gas and Echelon Resources Ltd. EP145 is adjacent to the Mereenie oil and gas field and contains the West Walker Anticline, a west northwest plunging structure over 30 km in length, which hosts Neoproterozoic to Ordovician sedimentary rocks. Two holes were drilled into the anticline; West Walker-1, which flowed wet gas to surface at a rate of 3.5 MMSCF/d from the Pacoota Sandstone. The second hole was drilled to the southeast; oil was seen seeping from the core but the well was not tested. Later reprocessing of the seismic survey data, on which these holes were targeted, showed them to have been drilled off structure. No additional work was completed in EP145 in 2024.

For more detail view onshore exploration activity .