KIMBERLEY LNG HEADS OF AGREEMENT SIGNED

On April 27, a broad agreement to develop a Kimberley Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Precinct was formalised at an official signing ceremony at James Price Point, 60km north of Broome.

Premier Colin Barnett, Woodside Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Don Voelte and Kimberley Land Council (KLC) Chief Executive Officer Wayne Bergmann signed the Kimberley LNG Precinct Heads of Agreement in front of Traditional Owners and the community. Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson also made the trip, highlighting the Commonwealth Government’s support for the precinct.

Mr Barnett said the agreement marked the start of heritage, environmental and social impact studies within the James Price Point area. “Today was the first time that all parties stood on country together, providing an opportunity to look back at the hard work involved in achieving this agreement and to look toward the next phase of development,” he said. “I believe history will record this agreement as a significant step forward in terms of economic self determination and an improvement in the living standards of the Aboriginal people of the Kimberley.”

The Browse Basin, an area of gas reserves some 200 kilometres off the West Australian coast, will prove to be Australia’s largest natural gas resource. The Browse Basin’s gas resources will be processed at James Price Point, with the Woodside project the first in a number of projects to develop the basin. The initial layout of James Price Point precinct probably allows for three LNG projects in the long term, providing scope for further potential investment and developments of the precinct and resources in the region.

The site is subject to a full environmental impact assessment which should be completed in 2010.