Drilling Report

Broken Hill Proprietary Co Ld
17 February 2000


BHP OIL DISCOVERY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd (BHP) today announced the results of
its  Coniston-1 exploration well, located at:

              Lat:       21 degrees 19 feet 56.800 inches South
              Long:       114 degrees 03 feet 59.292inches East

- in block WA-255-P, 50 kms from the coast of Western Australia.

The well was drilled by a joint venture operated by BHP with equity interest
BHP (50 per cent), Mobil Exploration and Producing (Australia) Pty Ltd (50 per
cent).  The block was licensed in 1994 to BHP and Mobil and this well fulfils
the work program commitment.

The well was drilled in a water depth of 389.5 metres and reached a total
depth of 1350 metres (below RT elevation).  A production test achieved a
maximum unassisted flow rate of 2119 bopd.  Production rates were constrained
by operational limitations of the test equipment and environmental concerns.

The discovery is located 25 kms to the north of the BHP operated Macedon gas
and Pyrenees oil discoveries and 10 km to the north of the Woodside operated
Vincent oil and gas accumulation.

The significance of the Coniston-1 discovery will be assessed following an
evaluation of the well results.



Contact: 
MEDIA RELATIONS:  

Mandy Frostick, Manager Media Relations - Melbourne
Ph:        [phone]
Mob:       [phone]


INVESTOR RELATIONS:  

Dr Robert Porter, Vice President Investor Relations - Melbourne
Ph:        [phone]
Mob:       [phone]