Petroleum Exploration in Australia - Market Research Report (2013-2028)
Melbourne, Australia
Last Updated: August 2023
ANZSIC B1011Revenue
$917.4m
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$XX.Xbn
Employees
2,822
Businesses
400
Wages
$XXX.Xm
Petroleum Exploration in Australia industry analysis
Petroleum explorers provide onshore and offshore drilling and exploration services. Oil and gas producers use these services to establish a portfolio of future projects. Exploration-only companies identify reserves that are attractive to larger players on a contract basis. Petroleum exploration is inherently risky and capital-intensive. Rising commodity prices assist industry players, increasing the potential benefit that exploration companies can generate by identifying unproven resources. Onshore exploration has overtaken offshore exploration over the past decade to become the industry's largest source of revenue. Expenditure on petroleum exploration is expected to fall at an annualised 4.8% over the five years through 2022-23, to an estimated $917.4 million.Exploration activity has displayed significant volatility over the past five years, with instability in global energy markets flowing through to demand for petroleum exploration services. Larger vertically integrated players reduced spending on exploration in response to volatile energy prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, while pure-play exploration companies have struggled to raise the capital required for exploration. In response to falling prices and uncertain demand conditions, many firms across the oil and gas sector delayed investment decisions and reduced capital expenditure. As a result, demand for exploration services fell sharply in 2020-21. While exploration activity rebounded in 2021-22, rising capital costs, higher exploration drilling prices and tight labour market conditions are set to weigh on exploration activity in 2022-23, causing petroleum exploration revenue to fall by an estimated 22.0%.Changes in the domestic energy market are likely to support industry growth over the next five years. Asia's LNG consumption is set to continue growing and elevated global energy prices are projected to support petroleum exploration activity. High pressure on the eastern seaboard energy market may encourage state governments to roll back regulation on onshore exploration. However, a volatile regulatory environment for oil and gas producers may create some hesitancy to invest in exploration. Overall, industry revenue is forecast to increase at an annualised 2.6% over the five years through 2027-28, to an estimated $1.0 billion.
Trends and Insights
- Volatile oil and gas prices have driven significant swings in petroleum exploration expenditure. Expenditure has fallen as major oil and gas producers have looked to rationalise their portfolios.
- Gas has increasingly become the dominant commodity sought by exploration companies. Australia has become one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, while domestic oil production has stalled.
- Western Australia is home to most petroleum exploration companies. The state accounts for over 40.0% of business locations and over half of Australia’s domestic gas production.
- Pure-play exploration companies compete to attract funding based on the attractiveness of their exploration prospects and quality of management. Producers benefit from having downstream production activities to support exploration expenditure.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 4.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $917.4m in 2023.
Trends and Insights
Volatile oil and gas prices have had a significant effect on petroleum exploration activity
- Oil and gas prices have experienced wild swings over the past five years, with global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict creating supply-demand mismatches in global markets.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Elevated oil and gas prices are set to drive exploration expenditure
- The world price of crude oil is projected to remain elevated over the next five years, with underinvestment in developing new resource deposits over the past decade limiting supply growth.
Biggest companies in the Petroleum Exploration in Australia
| Company | Market Share (%)
2023 | Revenue ($m)
2023 |
|---|---|---|
Woodside Petroleum Ltd | N/A |
To view the market share and analysis for all 1 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Offshore exploration drilling, Other offshore exploration services and Onshore exploration drilling. Offshore exploration drilling is the largest segment of the Petroleum Exploration in Australia.
Trends and Insights
Onshore exploration drilling has become the industry's main service
- Onshore exploration drilling has grown as a share of industry revenue over the past five years. This segment includes both brownfield and greenfield exploration drilling on Australian territorial lands up to the low water mark.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- There are no industries to display.
Complementors
- Oil and Gas Extraction in Australia
- Mineral Exploration in Australia
- Mining Support Services in Australia
- Surveying and Mapping Services in Australia
International industries
- Global Oil & Gas Exploration & Production
- Oil & Gas Field Services in the US
- Oil & Gas Field Services in Canada
- Petroleum & Natural Gas Support Activities in the UK
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Industry companies conduct exploration for crude petroleum and natural gas.
What's included in this industry?
Offshore exploration drillingOther offshore exploration servicesOnshore exploration drillingOther onshore exploration servicesCompanies
Woodside Petroleum LtdPurchase this report to view all 1 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
GREENFIELD PROJECTSBROWNFIELD EXPLORATIONEXPLORATION ACREAGEUNCONVENTIONAL RESOURCESPROVEN RESOURCESPROBABLE RESERVEPROSPECTIVITYBACKFILLIndustry Code
ANZSIC 1011 - Petroleum Exploration in Australia
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Volatile oil and gas prices have driven significant swings in petroleum exploration expenditure. Expenditure has fallen as major oil and gas producers have looked to rational...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
- Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
- Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
- Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Gas has increasingly become the dominant commodity sought by exploration companies. Australia has become one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, while domestic oil producti...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2023
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2023
- Major market segmentation in 2023
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Western Australia is home to most petroleum exploration companies. The state accounts for over 40.0% of business locations and over half of Australia’s domestic gas productio...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2023
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Pure-play exploration companies compete to attract funding based on the attractiveness of their exploration prospects and quality of management. Producers benefit from having...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Major oil and gas producers undertake exploration activity on their own account. These activities are recorded as an expense rather than a revenue-generating activity. Revenu...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
- Overview of Woodside Petroleum Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Woodside Petroleum Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Volatile oil and gas prices and changing market dynamics have driven significant swings in exploration expenditure. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and changing global trade flow...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Tight labour market conditions have pushed operating costs higher for exploration companies. Border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic increased competition for worker...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
- Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
- Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
- Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
- Average Wage (2013-2028)
- Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
- IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
- Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
- Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2013-2028)
- IVA (2013-2028)
- Establishments (2013-2028)
- Enterprises (2013-2028)
- Employment (2013-2028)
- Exports (2013-2028)
- Imports (2013-2028)
- Wages (2013-2028)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Australia include:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Australian Taxation Office
- Australian Securities & Investments Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia in 2024?
The market size of the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia is $917.4m in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Petroleum Exploration in Australia industry in 2023?
There are 400 businesses in the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 4.2 % between 2018 and 2023.
Has the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 4.8 % between 2018 and 2023.
What is the forecast growth of the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Petroleum Exploration market in Australia?
The biggest company operating in the Petroleum Exploration market in Australia is Woodside Petroleum Ltd
What does the Petroleum Exploration in Australia include?
Offshore exploration drilling and Other offshore exploration services are part of the Petroleum Exploration industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Petroleum Exploration in Australia?
The company holding the most market share in Australia is Woodside Petroleum Ltd.
How competitive is the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia?
The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Petroleum Exploration industry in Australia.
