Environmental watchdog to review new Kimberley gas project

Environmental watchdogs have been tasked with reviewing a new Kimberley gas project proposed by Buru Energy. Environmentalists have raised concerns that the project could be used as a stepping stone for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Buru Energy has referred its Rafael conventional gas project to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for assessment.

The company expects a decision from the EPA by the end of the year. The Rafael project involves developing a processing facility in the Kimberley's Canning Basin to extract conventional gas from two co-located production wells. Conventional gas is extracted using simple drilling and pumping methods, unlike unconventional extraction methods such as fracking.

Buru Energy claims the project could meet the region's power demands with locally produced energy for the first time. The Kimberley currently relies on imported energy from various regions. Buru Energy estimates that the Rafael plant could produce up to 300 tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) per day, which is equivalent to about 16 or 17 terajoules of energy, along with LPG and condensate.

The proposed project could potentially supply 100% of the Kimberley's gas demand and a portion of the LPG demand. The West Australian government has banned fracking in over 98% of the state, but the Canning Basin, where the Rafael project is situated, is excluded from this ban. Environmentalists have expressed concerns that the Rafael project could serve as a "Trojan horse" for fracking in the future, as Buru Energy has previously mentioned the possibility of undertaking fracking in the future.

The company has denied these accusations and stated that any fracking would result in a separate EPA referral, application, and approval process. Buru Energy has previously used hydraulic fracturing at its Yulleroo gas field in the Canning Basin but no longer practices it.