AHEAD of the State Government's release of four new coal exploration tenders in coming months, several Bowen Basin coal seam gas exploration sites are still up for tender.

About 451 square kilometres is available for prospecting in total over the two sites.

The first (PLR2016/17-1A) is an 86 square kilometre petroleum and gas (coal seam gas) reserve about 65km north of Injune.

It boasts a "High prospectivity for coal seam gas (estimated 177PJ of in-place gas volumes)”, according to the State Government.

The second site (PLR2016/17-1B) is much larger at 365 square kilometres.

It's a conventional oil and gas reserve about 40km south-east of Surat, with a "Moderate to high prospectivity for conventional, liquids-rich gas”.

Tenders for both sites will close on April 20.

Companies tendering will need to meet native title approval requirements before they're granted an Authority to Prospect, which would be given on an initial term of six years.

However, once granted the company given authority would still need to complete land access requirements before starting exploration.

Meanwhile, four new coal exploration releases will likely be up for tender from April-July and will close from July-September.

• CLR2016/17-1-1, About 60km south-east of Middlemount and 50km north-west of Blackwater.
• CLR2016/17-1-2, About 20km north-east of Blackwater and 10km north of Bluff.
• CLR2016/17-1-3, About 45km south-east of Blackwater and 10km south of Dingo.
• CLR2016/17-1-4, About 25km south-east of Middlemount.

Production from the Bowen Basin has provided most of the coal seam has supplied to the Queensland market to date, according to the State Government.