Mr Keating asked the Minister representing the Minister for National Development and Energy, upon notice, on 20 October 1982:

(1) Does the Minister from time to time obtain status reports or reviews from the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) on exploration activity and prospects for oil and gas discoveries in Australia.

(2) What range of data is available to officers of the BMR who would prepare these reports, in the case of (a) offshore and (b) onshore areas.

(3) Is the quality and range of data available satisfactory; if not, is the Minister able to say how and when improvements will be effected.

Mr Anthony —The Minister for National Development and Energy has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

(1) Yes in conjunction with the Oil and Gas Division of my Department.

(2) (a) BMR has access to all offshore exploration data submitted under the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act and all petroleum exploration, development and production data submitted under the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act. (b) BMR has access to all onshore exploration data submitted under the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act. BMR also has information provided by companies to assist in the preparation of assessments of petroleum resources and to support applications under the Government's crude oil pricing policy.

(3) The quality and range of data available to BMR for the offshore areas is considered to be satisfactory. For the onshore areas efforts are presently being made to improve the data available to BMR following discussions at the Australian Minerals and Energy Council meeting in Darwin on 5 August 1982. At the meeting Ministers agreed to pursue closer co-operation between BMR and the State geological surveys on the assessment of Australia's resources and, in particular, petroleum resources.