Offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas sample submission standards

Version date: March 2026

Titleholders submit physical samples to the National Offshore Petroleum Data and Core Repository (NOPDCR).

These standards help titleholders comply with regulations when submitting physical samples collected from offshore drilling or other operations. The standards ensure samples are stored properly so future generations can use them.

This relates to the:

• Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
• Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Resource Management and Administration) Regulations 2025 (RMA Regulations)

Download

• Offshore petroleum and greenhouse sample submission standards, 31 March 2026 [DOCX 11.9 MB]

Summary

Content includes an overview of the NOPDCR arrangement and details on standards for packaging, presenting and submitting:

• ditch cuttings
• sidewall core
• gaseous hydrocarbons and fluid samples
• thin sections
• submission addresses
• best practices for processing petroleum drill core into trays and common mistakes to avoid.

Related information

• Data management guideline on our Guidelines page.
• Sample submission requirements fact sheet on our Fact sheets page.
• Submission addresses, contacts and transmittals fact sheet on our Fact sheets page.
• Read our article about the new RMA Regulations 2025.

Contact us

• Email: data@nopta.gov.au