(WO) — Liberty Petroleum, a U.S.-based energy company with more than three decades of experience in Australia, announced plans to commence drilling in 2026 across its 20-million-acre position in the Officer basin—one of the country’s most underexplored and geologically promising regions.
The move follows recent progress on Native Title agreements with Aboriginal groups, a key regulatory milestone that will allow Liberty’s affiliate, Petro Quest Australia, to secure full exploration permits from Western Australian authorities. The project represents one of the largest conventional oil exploration initiatives in Australia, with recoverable resource potential estimated at more than 11 Bbbl.
“This project in the Officer basin is more material in upside potential than all 17 projects Liberty has had in Australia over the last 30 years combined,” said Trent Franks, Chairman of Liberty Petroleum and former U.S. Congressman. “The integrity and cooperation we’ve experienced from multiple branches of the Australian government have been exemplary, and the recent U.S.–Australia alliance further strengthens our confidence in this initiative.”
Liberty’s exploration strategy targets shallow, conventional reservoirs, requiring no hydraulic fracturing or directional drilling—reducing environmental impact while maximizing operational efficiency. The project aligns with deepening U.S.–Australia energy collaboration, highlighted by an $8.5 billion rare minerals alliance announced earlier this year.
Tony Mangat, an investor in Petro Quest Australia, said the groundwork laid over decades positions Liberty for “a generational discovery” in the Officer basin.
