Finder is a privately held oil and gas exploration company based in West Perth, Australia. The company was founded in 2005 by two of the founding partners of Seismic Australia, Jan Ostby and Odd Arne Larsen. Seismic Australia was acquired by Fugro N.V. in 2000.

From its inception Finder has utilised its extensive multi-client data experience and network to unlock new and or previously overlooked basins and play concepts by capturing the acreage ahead of new data, through the acquisition of new data or reprocessing of existing data, and using fit for purpose high-end geophysical techniques as appropriate. Finder formed a strategic alliance with Fugro, which is one of the world’s largest geophysical contracting companies, to provide technical and/or financial support to exploration opportunities.

The key to Finder’s success is to select and apply to right geophysical technology to identify and subsequently correct seismic imaging problems before mapping prospects and leads where the interpretation of the original and uncorrected data would have resulted in the misidentification of leads and prospects and the likely drilling of dry holes.  This, and leveraging our in-depth regional geologic knowledge within the areas we operate ensures appropriate risk mitigation across the suite of exploration prospects and leads.

Finder won its first exploration bid in October 2005 (AC/P 36). Since then Finder has secured and operated a total of twenty two petroleum E&P Permits in Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and the United Kingdom. In addition, Finder has also operated three petroleum E&P Permits in Papua New Guinea on behalf of Chinampa Exploration Pty Ltd.

In 2007, Finder farmed out 40% of AC/P 36 and transferred operatorship to Murphy Australia Oil, a subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corporation, and 20% to PTTEP Australia Offshore. The joint venture spudded the Abalone Deep-1 well in November 2008 which encountered non-commercial quantities of natural gas.  In 2009 Finder sold its 100% equity stake in WA-401-P in the outer Carnarvon/Exmouth to Woodside and Hess.

In November 2009 Finder farmed out 40% of AC/P 45 and 40% of AC/P 44 to Perenco (SE) Australia Pty Ltd
and in January 2010 Finder also farmed out 45% of AC/P 52 to Sasol Petroleum Australia Limited, prior to the commencement of signifcant 3D seismic acquistion in all 3 Permits.

In August 2010 Finder farmed out 75% of WA-450-P to Apache Northwest Pty Ltd, who also assumed operatorship for the block, with a commitment well due in Permit Year Three (ie 2012/2013). Following this transaction Finder also farmed out 65% of WA-418-P to Apache Northwest Pty Ltd in October 2010, prior to the commencement of a 3D seismic survey covering the key prospectivity of the Permit.  Apache also assumed operatorship for the Permit.

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