The contract is for $.5billion turret and mooring system at the Browse Basin.

You can read an SBM statement here:

SBM [read this story]

GE Oil and Gas, based in Italy, will supply a processing facility in the Browse Basin itself as well as rotating equipment for the gas plant near Darwin.

Upstream Online [read this story]

The initial processing at the Browse Basin will be to remove water and condensate from the gas, before it is piped more than 800km to the NT refinery.

Offshore [read this story]

Inpex has already let significant contracts for the project.

These include a contract with another Italian company, Saipem, for the pipeline itself; and a $2billion contract with Korean company Samsung for construction of the offshore gas processing facility at the Browse Basin.

Alan Eggleston

Senator Alan Eggleston questioned Labor’s commitment to defence in Australia’s North West.

He said oil and gas rigs are potential targets for terrorist attacks, and need protection.

His comments came after reports of a defence department review recommending greater military presence.

You can read his statement here:

Senator Alan Eggleston

Liberal Senator for Western Australia

Chair of Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee

Deputy Chair of Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee

MEDIA RELEASE

Media Contact: Shannen Wilkinson Ph: (08) 9368 6633 Mob: 0422 103 772 shannen.wilkinson@aph.gov.au

Old game of wait and see for increased North West military presence: Senator Eggleston

February 1, 2012

Liberal Senator for Western Australia Alan Eggleston has welcomed the proposed increase in defence capabilities for Western Australia’s North West to protect its multi‐billion‐dollar resources industry, but has questioned the genuineness of the Labor Government’s commitment.

The Defence Force Posture Review recommended Navy upgrades to Western Australia’s North West commercial ports in Exmouth, Dampier, Port Hedland and Broome to allow access by larger warships.

Senator Eggleston, who has previously advocated for increased military presence in regional Western Australia, said over 60 per cent of Australia’s export income is derived from mineral, oil and gas developments on the North West coast, with these oil and gas rigs long regarded as a potential target for terrorist attacks.

“Billions of dollars is invested in the North West which needs protection, not withstanding the long obvious need for increased Australian Defence Force (ADF) presence in the area,” Senator Eggleston said.

“I support the recognition of the North West coast’s importance in Australia’s defence priorities, but would not be too effusive until such time as there was evidence of implementation or establishment of defence facilities on the ground.

“Similar promises have been made by the Labor Party in the past but were not honoured. In the run up to the 1989 election, then Defence Minister Kim Beazley (also a West Australian) ceremoniously announced that a patrol boat base would be established in Port Hedland but this never eventuated.

“The Labor Party’s decision to tie the review with its 2014 White Paper prevents any immediate action to protect our borders and resources industry in the Indian Ocean, with their ability to fund the recommendations yet to be seen.”

‐Ends‐

Picture by Rod Hartvigsen

A green group says Woodside has carried on some works associated with the gas hub without shire approval.

Woodside says it is seeking approval from a state government body, the Kimberley Joint Development Assessment Panel, which includes two shire representatives.

The West Australian [read this story]

You can read a media release from Environs Kimberley here:

MEDIA RELEASE WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2012

Woodside works ‘illegal’

Woodside’s drilling work at James Price Point in 2011 did not have Shire of Broome planning approval according to the minutes of a recent Shire meeting. The works included a laydown area with a fuel tank, transportable accommodation, offices, toilets, fences and gates, a vehicle washdown area and drilling.

Environs Kimberley Director Martin Pritchard said, “This is outrageous. Woodside had no legal clearances from the Shire to undertake this work, dozens of people were arrested and convicted of trying to stop work because they believed it was illegal and it seems those people have now been vindicated.”

Woodside was originally granted approval from the Shire in September 2010 to develop certain facilities.

However, according to the Shire they have been working on a different programme altogether, which does not have planning approval, and have not started on the developments that were approved.

“This begs the question, was Woodside ignorant of the fact that they needed planning approval for the work they did at James Price point in 2011, or did they decide to do the work and pay for the consequences later?” asked Mr Pritchard.

“This is clearly not an ethical way of going about business and Woodside must come clean on why they did the work without planning approval. The Shire also needs to explain what action they will take against this breach of the planning laws. You’d hope that the same laws apply to everyone, regardless of whether you’re a big oil and gas company or an ordinary citizen,” Mr Pritchard said.

In a further twist, it now appears that Woodside is applying for retrospective approval for the work, but not from the Shire. Woodside has applied through a new planning approval mechanism known as a Development Assessment Panel (DAP). This means it will not go through the normal process whereby all Councillors vote on it and the community would have a chance to have their say. A Development Assessment Panel has only two local Councillors on it. The other three members are chosen by the government.

“It looks like Woodside has tried to by-pass Shire decision-making processes by going to the DAP. It’s not a democratic way of decision-making,” Mr Pritchard said.

Martin Pritchard

Environs Kimberley director  said reports of a Woodside selldown are “another nail in the coffin for James Price Point”.

He was commenting on several reports of a possible sale of much of the company’s stake in the Browse Basin gas reserves.

You can read his statement here:

MEDIA RELEASE – ENVIRONS KIMBERLEY

Another nail in the coffin for James Price Point

Woodside’s statement to the ASX today that it is looking at selling down its equity in the Browse LNG proposal is another nail in the coffin for the gas refineries proposed at James Price Point on the Kimberley coast.

Environs Kimberley Executive Director Martin Pritchard said:

“This is one of a number signs that Woodside’s appetite for industrial gas refineries on the Kimberley coast has waned significantly since the departure of ex-CEO Don Voelte.”

“Virtually every single analyst who has commented on the project for the past three years has said that there are significant problems with the proposal including technical difficulties, very high CO2 content with no abatement plans, environmental and heritage hurdles to jump, joint venture partner reluctance as well as significant local community opposition in Broome which is spreading through the country.” Mr Pritchard said.

“What we need now is certainty for our community, we’ve had this big black cloud hanging over us for four years and it’s a huge psychological pressure that has affected the Broome community very negatively. We need Woodside to stay away from James Price Point or we’re going to see the same disturbing scenes of people trying to protect their community getting arrested by the riot squads that were flown in last year.”

“We’ll be holding Federal Minister for Resources Martin Ferguson responsible for any further trauma here until he relaxes the conditions on the retention leases. These conditions were put in place when Don Voelte was aggressively pushing the proposal and were designed to corral the Joint Venture partners like Chevron and BHP-Billiton to a Kimberley site.”

“This tactic has clearly failed with WikiLeaks cables from the US Consulate in Perth showing huge opposition from Chevron and BHP- Billiton. Martin Ferguson needs to act quickly and he now has the perfect opportunity with Woodside requesting a year’s delay to a final investment decision and clearly showing the market that Browse is not a winner on the Kimberley coast.”

Robin Chapple MLC

Robin Chapple MLC hopes plans to build a gas plant at James Price Point will be abandoned.

He is commenting on Woodside’s plans to sell down most of its stake in the Browse Basin gas reserve.

You can read his statement here:

ROBIN CHAPPLE MLC

Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region

MEDIA RELEASE

WOODSIDE BROWSE SALE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BETTER GAS OUTCOME

Friday, 27 January 2012

Greens MLC Robin Chapple said that Woodside’s decision to sell $1bn of the Browse LNG project was an opportunity for the company, its partners and prospective buyers to find a better location for the gas hub.

“Woodside’s decision for a $1 billion-plus auction of most of its 50 per cent stake in the Browse gas project is a tremendous reprieve for the ecological and cultural integrity of the Kimberley and a great opportunity for the Joint Venture partners to re-assess the location of the project”, Mr Chapple said.

“There are locations along our vast coastline that are less environmentally and culturally significant than James Price Point – which the Browse JV partners are very much aware of.”

“It is common knowledge that the James Price Point site was not the preferred location for several of the partners.”

“Woodside’s financial woes represents a chance for the partners and potential purchasers to more fully assess the huge social, heritage, and environmental impacts of a gas hub on the current site, as highlighted by the committed West Kimberley community who have opposed this project from the start.”

“I am fully confident that a comprehensive examination of the impacts of a gas hub at James Price Point would render an alternative site the more attractive option.”

Mr Chapple said that in any re-assessment of the Browse project, the Greens would demand that fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from the project – estimated to be up to 8 million tonnes per annum – be taken into account.

“The EPA and the Federal government must account for the massive carbon footprint of this project, and its impact on the State’s emissions targets to 2020 and beyond ahead of any final approval for gas processing”, Mr Chapple said.

A company spokesman was commenting on an earlier report that it was about to put part of its stake in the Browse Basin on the market.

Sydney Morning Herald [read this story]

If successful, the company may end up owning less than 17percent of the venture, and face possible pressure to abandon plans for the controversial processing plant at James Price Point.

The Australian [read this story]

This will transport gas from the Ichthys project to a new onshore processing facility.

Offshore [read this story]

If the government approves the deal, Shell will not develop the project for about 10 years, but use it to supply the floating gas processing facility currently being constructed for the Prelude project.

Sydney Morning Herald [read this story]