The Exploration Data Centre (EDC) in Zillmere, QLD is a cornerstone of Queensland's geoscientific infrastructure, preserving and providing access to an extensive collection of geological core samples and drill cuttings. These samples are fundamental to research, mineral and energy exploration, and long-term resource planning for the state. However, the facility is currently at or near full capacity, significantly limiting the ability to archive new sedimentary cores from exploration, appraisal and development programs.

At the Australian Energy Producers (AEP) Conference held in Brisbane from May 26–29, 2025, significant discussions centred on Queensland's oil and gas investment outlook. The conference highlighted Queensland's proactive stance in energy development, contrasting it with more restrictive policies in other Australian states. During the conference the Queensland government announced the release of nine new gas exploration areas covering 16,000 km2 in the Cooper/Eromanga and Bowen/Surat basins. This move aims to bolster investment, stabilize power prices, and ensure long-term energy security. Industry leaders like Meg O’Neill, CEO of Woodside Energy and Chair of Australian Energy Producers, emphasized Queensland's vital role in Australia's energy sector. She praised the state's operators and highlighted the importance of gas in supporting both domestic needs and regional energy security.

Economic contributions of Queensland’s gas sector are significant. According to a KPMG analysis commissioned by Australian Energy Producers, the gas industry contributed $105 billion to Australia's GDP and supported 215,000 jobs in 2021–22. Specifically, Queensland's gas sector paid $1.7 billion in royalties in 2023–24 and generated $22 billion in LNG export revenue, underscoring its economic significance.

However, no additional petroleum, coal, coal seam gas (CSG), and tight gas sand (TGS) cores have been accepted into the facility since 2019 due to space constraints and reduced funding. This represents a major bottleneck in the state’s ability to capture and preserve valuable geological data from ongoing and future exploration activities. Securing additional storage space would allow the EDC to accept highly strategic or greenfield petroleum cores (as well as mineral cores) in the future.

Despite Queensland’s significant role in Australia’s oil and gas industry the lack of adequate / sufficient storage space at the Exploration Data Centre in Zillmere could undermine Queensland’s competitive position:

• Loss of Competitive Edge in Exploration:
  Queensland risks falling behind other resource-rich jurisdictions as it struggles to maintain its leading position in mineral and energy exploration. Without continued investment and policy support, the state could miss out on future opportunities.
• Permanent Loss of Core Data:
  There is a real threat that valuable core samples from exploration and development programs may not be properly stored or preserved. Discarding or losing this critical geoscientific data would create irreversible knowledge gaps, limiting the ability to make informed decisions about resource potential and geological frameworks.
• Restricted Access for Research and Innovation:
  The availability of core samples and geoscientific data is essential for researchers, explorers, and academics. Constraints on access will stifle scientific innovation, limit investment potential, and hinder the broader understanding of Queensland’s subsurface resources.

To protect Queensland’s long-term competitive advantage in oil, gas, and mineral exploration, immediate action is required to preserve and expand core storage capacity:

• Expand and Fund Core Storage at the Exploration Data Centre (EDC)
  Queensland must approve and fund the expansion of the EDC’s core storage infrastructure to ensure petroleum wells, currently turned away and potentially lost or destroyed, are preserved. This will prevent the irreversible loss of critical geoscientific data that underpins future exploration and resource development.
• Future-Proof the EDC for Decades of Exploration: The EDC must be upgraded and scaled to accommodate the growing volume of cores from future drilling programs over the next several decades. Without this forward planning, Queensland risks creating either a backlog of unprocessed material or the destruction of the material, undermining both research and industry confidence.
• Maintain a Best-Practice, Free, Open-Access Repository
  The EDC must remain a free-of-charge, open-access facility that supports sustainable development, scientific innovation, and industry collaboration. This aligns with the standards set by other Australian states, such as the South Australian Drill Core Library and the Western Australian Core Library. Queensland’s industry, researchers, and communities deserve the same level of access and support.

The responsible stewardship of geological data is essential for a future-facing resources sector. Investing in core storage is a strategic decision that supports Queensland’s economic, environmental, and research goals.

We, the undersigned geoscientists, researchers, industry professionals, and stakeholders in Queensland’s resource sector, respectfully petition the Queensland Government to prioritise and allocate funding for the expansion of core storage facility at the Exploration Data Centre (EDC) in Zillmere, managed by the Department of Resources (DoR).

Sincerely,