205 EXHIBIT 10.52 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 EXPLORATION PERMIT FOR PETROLEUM VIC/P39 I, PATRICK McNAMARA, the Designed Authority in respect of the area specified as being adjacent to the State of Victoria acting for and on behalf of the Commonwealth Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, hereby, subject to the conditions set out hereunder, grand to: MOSAIC OIL NL 11th Floor 15-17 Young Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 EURO PACIFIC ENERGY PTY LTD. 133 Edward Street PERTH WA 6000 INDO PACIFIC ENERGY PTY LTD. 249 Karori Road Wellington NEW ZEALAND an exploration permit for petroleum numbered VIC/P39 a) in respect of each of the blocks that is at the date of this permit constituted by a graticular section, or by part of a graticular section, described hereunder; and b) where, at any time during the term of this permit, a graticular section, or part of a graticular section, so described hereunder constitutes a block. This permit has an effect for a period of six (6) years from the date hereof. INTERPRETATION In this Permit, "the Act" means the Act under which this Permit is granted and includes any Act with which that Act is incorporated and words used in this Permit have the same respective meanings as in the Act. 206 DESCRIPTION OF BLOCKS In the adjacent area of the State of Victoria MELBOURNE Sheet SJ55 prepared and published for the purposes of the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967. A. BLOCKS MELBOURNE MAP SHEET BLOCK NO. BLOCK NO. BLOCK NO. BLOCK NO. 1992 2061 2062 2063 2064 2065 2066 2136 2137 2138 2139 Assessed to contain 11 blocks CONDITIONS 1. (1) Subject to sub-clause (2), during a year of the term of the permit set out in the first column of the following table, the permittee: (a) shall carry out in or in relation to the permit area, to a standard acceptable to the Designated Authority, the work specified in the minimum work requirements set out opposite that year in the second column of the table; (b) may carry out in or in relation to the permit area, to a standard acceptable to the Designated Authority, all or part of the work specified in the minimum work requirements of a subsequent year or years of that term set out opposite that year or those years in the second column of the table; and (c) may carry out in or in relation to the permit area, to a standard acceptable to the Designated Authority, work in addition to the work specified in the minimum work requirements set out opposite that year and in the subsequent year or years, if any, of that term in the second column of the table. (2) The permittee shall not commence any works or petroleum exploration operations in the permit area except with, and in accordance with the approval in writing of the Designated Authority or of a person authorised by the Designated Authority to give that approval. (3) For the purposes of this clause, any work carried out in accordance with paragraph (1)(b) shall, if the Designated Authority in his discretion by instrument in writing so approves, be treated as if it had been carried out in the subsequent year or years of the term of the permit specified by the Designated Authority in that instrument. 207 Estimated Expenditure Year of Term In Constant Of Permit Minimum Work Dollars Requirements (indicative only) First Data Review Seismic Reprocessing 250,000 Second 500 Km 2D Seismic Survey 750,000 Third One (1) Well 6,500,000 Fourth Data Review Seismic Reprocessing 250,000 Fifth 500 Km 2D Seismic Survey 750,000 Sixth One (1) Well 6,500,000 1A. During the first 3 year period of the term of the permit the permittee must complete the work specified in the minimum work requirements for the years in the period. 2. The permittee shall not recover any petroleum from the permit area except as a result of production testing of a well. 3. The permittee shall not construct any installation or install any equipment in the permit area except with and in accordance with the approval in writing of the Designated Authority or a person authorised in writing by the Designated Authority to give that approval. 4. The permittee shall not abandon, suspend or complete any well except with and in accordance with the approval of the Designated Authority or of a person authorised by the Designated Authority to give that approval. 5. In carrying out its operations in the permit area the permittee shall take adequate measures for the protection of the environment. 6. The permittee shall at all times comply with (a) the provisions of the Act and of any regulations for the time being in force under the Act; and (b) all Directions given to him under the Act or the Regulations for the time being, in force under the Act. 7. It is a condition of this Exploration Permit for Petroleum that the Permittee complies with the requirements of Section 97A of the Act. Dated at Melbourne this 31st day of July 1997 208 MADE under the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 of the Commonwealth of Australia on behalf of the Commonwealth Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority. /s/ P. McNamara DESIGNATED AUTHORITY