據天然氣新聞2020年9月21日悉尼報道，澳大利亞Origin 能源公司9月21日表示，該公司已恢復對位于澳大利亞北部地區頗具前景的Beetaloo頁巖氣盆地的天然氣勘探作業。此前，由于新冠肺炎疫情影響，該盆地天然氣勘探活動在今年3月份暫停。

Origin 能源公司說：“在今年1月成功開鉆的Kyalla井現在在接下來的幾個月里將進行壓裂試驗，并進行一段時間的生產測試。初步結果預計將在今年年底公布，全部結果將在2021年第一季度公布。”

盡管Beetaloo頁巖氣盆地本身尚未開發，但澳大利亞北部地區去年首次已與天然氣匱乏的東海岸連接，而澳大利亞絕大多數人口都居住在東海岸。

Beetaloo頁巖氣盆地的開發是澳大利亞政府上周宣布的“伴生氣回收計劃”的關鍵部分，該計劃旨在應對新冠肺炎疫情造成的經濟衰退。

澳大利亞政府日前撥款2830萬澳元用于開啟5個盆地，首先是Beetaloo頁巖氣盆地、昆士蘭州的North Bowen盆地和Galilee盆地，另外還有1090萬澳元用于支持國家天然氣基礎設施建設。

李峻 編譯自 天然氣新聞

原文如下：

Origin Energy restarts gas exploration at undeveloped Australian Beetaloo basin

Australia's Origin Energy has resumed exploration in the highly prospective Northern Territory-based Beetaloo shale gas basin after activity was suspended in March due to COVID-19, the company said Sept. 21.

"The Kyalla well, successfully drilled in January, will now be fracture stimulated followed by a period of production testing over the coming months. Initial results from this are expected by the end of the year, with full results in the first quarter of 2021," the company said.

While the basin itself is undeveloped, the Northern Territory was for the first time last year connected to the gas-strapped east coast, which is home to the vast majority of the country's population.

And the development of the basin is a key part of the Australian government's plan announced last week of a "gas-fired recovery" to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.

The Liberal-National Coalition set aside A$28.3 million for unlocking five basins, starting with the Beetaloo, and Queensland's North Bowen And Galilee basins, and A$10.9 million to support national gas infrastructure.