CNOOC, Shell Get Australian Permits

China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), and Shell are among companies which have expressed willingness to invest $173 million over the next three years in looking for oil and gas in Australia, Dow Jones said.

On Monday, Australia dished out 13 new offshore petroleum exploration permits as part of round one of the 2012 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release.

CNOOC's Australian unit was awarded permit WA-484-P in the northern Carnarvon Basin, while Australia's Woodside Petroleum won the WA-483-P permit in the northern Exmouth sub-basin. Perth-based Woodside has committed to drill one exploration well, Dow Jones said.

Shell clinched three permits, while other winning bidders included Japan's Inpex Corp, France's Total and U.S.-based Apache Corp, Dow Jones added.