Browse LNG Precinct - Public Information Booklet - Department of ...

Public Information Booklet
support the Strategic Assessment process and underpin planning and design of the LNG
processing and associated facilities.
The gas fields that are part of the Woodside-operated Browse joint venture hold an
estimated resource of about 14 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of dry gas and 370 million barrels of
condensate in three fields located 327 to 385 km north of James Price Point.
The Browse Joint Venture are currently evaluating LNG development options that involve
siting an LNG plant at either the proposed Browse LNG Precinct at James Price Point, or
the existing Woodside-operated LNG processing facilities located near Karratha, more
than 800 kilometres south of Broome.
2.1. LNG Precinct Site Selection
An extensive and thorough site selection process was conducted by the State of Western
Australia to identify a suitable location for the processing of Browse Basin hydrocarbon
reserves. The site selection process formed the first part of the Strategic Assessment
process and initially considered more than 40 different sites in the Kimberley as well as
alternatives outside the Kimberley such as offshore processing and piping the gas to the
Pilbara region for processing.
Eleven sites were subjected to more detailed examination and four were short-listed
following extensive technical, environmental and social studies. An open and transparent
community consultation process was adopted throughout the site selection process that
culminated in a three day workshop involving over 150 stakeholders. The Kimberley
Land Council were engaged to provide a mechanism to ensure that informed consultation
with Traditional Owners at the critical stage of site selection was achieved, in accordance
with the Equator Principles and the Performance Standards of the International Finance
Corporation.
Issues taken into account during the site selection process included:
� The suitability of locations in terms of technical, environmental and Indigenous
heritage constraints;
� Proximity to the gas fields and to existing infrastructure;
� Impacts on existing communities and on community and industry uses;
� Views of the indigenous people of the Kimberley as represented by the Traditional
Owner Taskforce consisting of representatives of all Kimberley coastal indigenous
native title claim groups, established and supported by the Kimberley Land Council;
and
� Advice of the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority provided to the
Minister for Environment under Section 16(e) of the EP Act.
The James Price Point option was selected by the State Government at the end of the
site selection process, as documented in the reports of the Northern Development
Taskforce (http://www.dsd.wa.gov.au/7539.aspx).
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