The acreage release areas are located at the eastern margin of the highly prospective Canning Basin.

Petroleum Division Director, Bill Tinapple said the three application areas, which cover a region the size of Belgium, are located 400 kilometres south of Halls Creek.

A CD-ROM acreage release package will be available at the Department's display at the Adelaide petroleum conference, as well as from Mineral House in Perth.

"The CD-ROM contains information on how to apply for acreage, the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Eastern Canning Basin release areas by consultants Troy Ikoda, sedimentation modeling by CSIRO and additional petroleum data from the release areas," Mr Tinapple said.

To further assist explorers with their applications, the Department will hold a workshop and have additional acreage release CDs available at the Novotel Langley Hotel in Adelaide on 21 April.

In addition, preceding Western Australia's acreage release workshop will be a Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia (PESA) farm-in seminar.

To register your attendance for the WA Onshore Acreage Release Workshop in Adelaide or to obtain a release package, telephone the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources' Petroleum Division on 9222 3622.