Liberty Petroleum Advances Major Australian Oil Exploration Amid U.S.-Australia Strategic Alliance
U.S.-based energy company poised to drill in its 20 million-acre position with hopes of multi-billion-barrel oil discoveries in the Officer Basin amid strengthened bilateral ties.
PHOENIX – Liberty Petroleum, a U.S.-based energy company with more than 30 years of experience in Australia, highlighted today its intention to commence drilling on one of Australia’s biggest upside potential petroleum exploration projects in 2026. The announcement comes on the heels of the $8.5 billion U.S.-Australia rare minerals alliance, underscoring the strength of the bilateral partnership and the opportunities for American energy companies operating in Australia.
Liberty affiliate Petro Quest Australia holds rights to five contiguous exploration permits totaling 20 million acres in the Officer Basin, an underexplored and overlooked region with an estimated recoverable oil resource potential exceeding 11 billion barrels. The company is currently nearing completion of the required Native Title agreements with Aboriginal groups. This major milestone paves the way for the regulatory agencies in Western Australia to provide full grant of these massive exploration permits and the green light to progress drilling.
“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 former US Congressman Trent Franks, Chairman of Liberty Petroleum. “The integrity and cooperation we’ve experienced from multiple branches of the Australian government over decades have been exemplary. The recent U.S.-Australia alliance further strengthens our confidence in the future of this exploration initiative.”
Liberty Petroleum’s exploration strategy emphasizes conventional, shallow-well targets that require no fracking or directional drilling, minimizing environmental impact while maximizing efficiency. The project highlights the potential for U.S.-Australia energy collaboration and reduced reliance on foreign oil sources.
Tony Mangat, a key investor in Petro Quest Australia, added, “We are excited by the tremendous potential of this project. The groundwork over the last three decades has positioned Liberty Petroleum to deliver meaningful results, and the upcoming drilling campaign could mark a generational discovery for the energy sector.”
