Exploration activity in the northern Galilee Basin has been sporadic and is still at an immature stage. Recent geological investigations by the Queensland Department of Resource Industries have brought about a better understanding of the geological setting and stratigraphic evolution of the basin. These investigations also identified key source and reservoir units, determined maturation trends and delineated areas with hydrocarbon potential. The geological results indicate that the Aramac Coal Measures and Betts Creek beds contain the most favourable source and reservoir rocks. Thermal modelling of vitrinite reflectance data suggests that various parts of the basin reached maturity for hydrocarbon generation at different times. Integration of the geological results and thermal modelling has enabled exploration concepts to be developed for the basin. Application of these concepts has highlighted areas along the western margin of the Koburra Trough and eastern Maneroo Platform, and areas adjacent to the Cork Fault and the Wetherby Structure in the Lovelle Depression that warrant further exploration.

The Permian succession in the southern Taroom Trough is generally believed to be the source of hydrocarbons in the Roma Shelf oil and gas fields and the Moonie oil field. The succession is characterised by complex relationships between marine and fluvio-deltaic facies which reflect marked differences in the depositional history of the Trough.On the basis of transgressive events, the succession has been subdivided into four sedimentary cycles, the boundaries of which do not always correspond to formation boundaries or seismic horizons. Notably, the top coal in any area forms a prominent seismic reflector, but coals in individual areas can be demonstrated to occur at different stratigraphic positions relative to the major interval of coal development. These higher coals reflect changing depositional settings with time.Palaeogeographic reconstructions demonstrate a complex depositional history of sediment input onto a shallow shelf from differing directions and with different rates of input.