Shale gas in Australia

One big boy has moved into Cooper Basin recently by buying into BPT and ICN tenements.

Today, BHP has signaled its intention to look at shale gas in Europe... and Australia.  I often wonder why it took them so long.  They have paid billions in the USA.  And even more puzzling is: why no interest in Chinese shale gas which is the world's biggest collection.  Argentina of course has mad government; its shale gas reserve is purported to be bigger than Australia's.