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Broome WA is an exotic pearling town and offers some deliciously indulgent eco-resorts, dotted across its spectacular landscape.
Broome's Cable Beach, with 22 kilometres of white sand, kissed by warm, crystal waters, is justifiably world famous and the ideal place to watch the sunset on a balmy, tropical night.
From fiery red ochre cliffs contrasting with bright turquoise waters to pearl diving sagas and dinosaur footprints - the history of Broome is as captivating as the scenery.
Situated in the State's far north, a two and a half hour flight from Perth, it's an oasis of colour, culture and eclectic characters.
The chilled out vibe, colourful lifestyle and vibrant landscape have made Broome a mecca for artists, writers and musicians.
The town's multicultural mix was shaped by a romantic pearling history when Japanese, Filipino and Malay pearl divers arrived in droves seeking their fortune.
Today, thanks to Broome's unpolluted waters, South Sea pearls are among the most coveted in the world. Witness first-hand how Broome pearls are cultured at a local pearl farm.
Pearl showrooms line the streets of Chinatown - splash out on a pearl (or two!) as the ultimate memento of your trip. This is also where you'll find art galleries, shops and cafes - the perfect place for some retail therapy.
One of Broome's natural treasures is the Staircase to the Moon. For three days after the full moon from March to October, reflections stretch out across shiny mudflats creating the beautiful illusion of a long silver staircase.
Another interesting natural attraction is Gantheaume Point, where you can see dinosaur footprints believed to be more than 130 million years old.
Accommodation-wise, there are plenty of plush hotels, up-market resorts and eco retreats to choose from. For the budget traveller, there's a good selection of hostels.
For those planning on travelling to Broome with a pooch we suggest planning ahead and checking the availability of dog-friendly accommodation options before you travel.
For more information on Broome WA contact the Broome Visitor Centre on +61 8 9192 2222 or visit their website. :) ;)
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I’m reposting this here ‘coz, as far as many of you have are concerned, Broome’s an unheard of place. But, sooner or later, you’ll be frequenting there, perhaps, during your roster off. Either you’ll rent a place or buy one.
Lovely young Pinays! When you’re sad and lonely there, drop me a line or two. And I’ll be there to love and comfort you. Hehehe. :) ;)
Brings back memories of good young days.
Came here Aug 18, 1980. 1st job was as a mineral research assistant at the Qld Uni. Pay was a pittance but got good references.
1 yr later, accepted a job with BHP Minerals Ltd (owned by the then giant BHP aka the big Australian). Assigned to Koolan Island, WA, off Yampi Sound, an hr’s small Cessna flight from Derby, a coastal town. Derby is 214Km south of Broome, also a coastal town, located northwest of Aus.
Broome is a tourist attraction. Part of Cable Beach used to be a nude beach. Went there, sometimes, during long weekend break. Hehehe. :) ;) Dunno now. :) ;)
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I’m reposting this here ‘coz, as far as many of you have are concerned, Broome’s an unheard of place. But, sooner or later, you’ll be frequenting there, perhaps, during your roster off. Either you’ll rent a place or buy one.
Lovely young Pinays! When you’re sad and lonely there, drop me a line or two. And I’ll be there to love and comfort you. Hehehe. :) ;)
Sung by: THE FOUR TOPS
Now if you feel that you can't go on (can't go on)
Because all of your hope is gone (all your hope is gone)
And your life is filled with much confusion (much confusion)
Until happiness is just an illusion (happiness is just an illusion)
And your world around is crumbling down, darlin
Reach out come on girl reach on out for me
Reach out reach out for me
I'll be there with a love that will shelter you
I'll be there with a love that will see you through
When you feel lost and about to give up (to give up)
Cause your life just ain't good enough (just ain't good enough)
And your feel the world has grown cold (has grown cold)
And your drifting out all on your own (drifting out on your own)
And you need a hand to hold, darlin
Reach out come on girl reach out for me
Reach out reach out for me
I'll be there to love and comfort you
And I'll be there to cherish and care for you
I'll be there to always see you through
I'll be there to love and comfort you
I can tell the way you hang your head (hang your head)
Your not in love now, now your afraid (you're afraid)
And through the tears you look around (look around)
But there's no piece of mind to be found (no piece of mind to be found)
I know what your thinking,
You're alone now, no love of your own, but darling
Reach out come on girl reach out for me
Reach out reach out.......... just look over your shoulder
I'll be there to give you all the love you need
And I'll be there you can always depend on me
I'll be there to always see you through
I'll be there to love and comfort you :) ;)
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Before, Las Vegas was nothing but a stopover for truckies in the middle of the desert. Today, it’s a paradise for gamblers.
Broome will be like Las Vegas. Thirty years ago, it was almost like a ghost town. Believe the nude beach was set up mainly to attract tourists. Otherwise, nobody will go there. With this mining boom, only a matter of time, it will become a bustling metropolis of casinos.
Oh, yes, there’ll be heaps of lovely young Pinay miners going there during their roster off for r&r (relaxation and recreation) which includes, of course, gambling. With plenty of money, why not? ??? ;)
Hmmmm! Think I should settle there instead of go home. Hehehe. :) ;)
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Been browsing the www.boholster.com/Fish (http://www.boholster.com/Fish) Market in Long Beach. Noticed the crab the lady was showing. Soooo tiny! Hehehe.
Reminds me of Broome and the Aus king crab. The shell is wider than a blokes shoulder to shoulder. Google “australian king crab” and click “Images for australian king crab - Report images”. Lots of them in Broome. Costs at least $300 each. But, if you’re working in the mines or in that massive gas plant construction project in Broome, should be peanuts.
One of the myriads of reasons to apply for work here. Hehehe. :) ;)
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“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” :) ;)
– Bill Bryson
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"Don’t be a tourist. Plan less. Go slowly. I traveled in the most inefficient way possible and it took me exactly where I wanted to go." :) ;)
— National Geographic’s Andrew Evans
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Lyndon Schneiders From: The Australian May 19, 2012 12:00AM
THIS week the government of Western Australia dispatched about 200 police officers to the sleepy tourist town of Broome to do the dirty work for several of the world's largest oil and gas companies.
This mini army has been assembled on the doorstep of the Kimberley wilderness for one purpose -- to suppress the widespread opposition of the Broome community to the construction of the proposed $40 billion James Price Point industrial precinct.
In a startling admission, WA police commissioner Karl O'Callaghan confirmed earlier this week that the decision to drag police off their beats across the state and send them to Broome would cost taxpayers $100,000 a day, for an undisclosed period and with no cost to the companies involved in the project. The final bill will likely be several million dollars.
All this to move away and silence a dogged and growing band of locals who have stood in the way of the plans of a consortium of the world's biggest companies, including Shell, Chevron, Woodside, BP and BHP Billiton, to build this massive gas plant in a beautiful and sensitive part of the remote Dampier Peninsula.
...For the past four years, community opposition in Broome has grown steadily, uniting the community in a way that has led to Premier Colin Barnett taking this extreme action. Black and white, the overwhelming majority of Broome people have said "no".
Opinion polling reported in The Australian this week shows 79 per cent of Broome residents oppose the development. Thousands have attended rallies, public meetings and community events over the past year.
At the most recent council elections, two high-profile anti-gas candidates were elected, and one, Anne Polina, is now deputy mayor. On every street corner, there are signs of opposition to the gas plant.
So is this the new Australia, produced by the longest mining boom in our history? One in which the views of residents and traditional owners are meaningless and where the state provides armies of foot soldiers, free of charge, to the big end of town? All this while the companies behind the project remain stony silent about actions taken in their name to divide and destroy Broome.
Not a word when last year Aboriginal women and their grandchildren were dragged away by tactical response police to allow the safe passage of Woodside's contractors down the access road to James Price Point.
Not a word when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of WA ruled as invalid a clumsy attempt by the Barnett government to compulsorily seize the land for the gas hub from traditional owners.
Not a word when 7000 people gathered on the famous Cable Beach to say no to the gas hub.
And now not a word as Broome is converted into a war zone. All in their name, for their project, for their bottom line.
Their silence makes a mockery of their fine statements, their policies and their expensive advertising campaigns that pronounce their credentials as fine corporate citizens who care about communities.
The prime mover of this consortium, Woodside, has a "Sustainable Communities Policy" which states that as a company it "wishes to establish long-term relationships based on trust and respect that deliver mutual benefit". It says it will achieve this by "listening to the community and delivering on its commitments" and it will contribute "to the building of thriving communities".
They must be joking. The Broome community and a growing movement of people across Australia have said no, and have said it again and again.
How does Woodside plan to establish long-term relationships and trust and respect while an army of police is sent in to smash local opposition on its behalf, and when, precisely, will it start listening to the community that does not want this development?
Meanwhile, over at the Chevron Australia website, more fine words and sentiments about its deep commitment to the local community. Here managing director Roy Krzywosinski tells us that, "at Chevron Australia, we think like a community member because we are a community member" and "our focus is on building productive, collaborative, trusting and beneficial relationships".
Really? Well, as a member of the "community", perhaps Ray could let Premier Barnett know that he's not that keen on having his neighbours thrown in prison for standing in the way of bulldozers, or he could object when traditional owners are told they can either accept a deal to have the development forced on them or have their land compulsorily seized. Because that is what community means: standing up for one another, caring for one another.
Premier Barnett and his head cheerleader in the federal government, Martin Ferguson, long ago gave up looking like credible representatives of the public interest, and the latest outrage by the WA government is hardly a surprise, given their past form.
In this environment, only the corporations can make sanity prevail and end this conflict.
It is time Woodside and friends re-read their policies and statements. It is time they listened to Broome. It is time that they said no to Barnett and Ferguson, and it is time they announced they will pipe the gas south and leave Broome, its people and its beautiful environment alone.
Lyndon Schneiders is national director of The Wilderness Society.
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The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.[1]
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
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Project Location : Western Australia
Project Manager : Woodside Energy Ltd (operator)
Project Owner : Browse Joint Venture
Constructor : EPC contractors selected in competitive process
Construction Period : 5-6 years, from mid 2013
Project Value : TBC
Project Status : Evaluating tender bids for construction
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"A lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job." :) ;)
- Zig Ziglar
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This is only the tip of the iceberg. Australia’s reserves is so vast, the govt has to introduce measures to safeguard the environment from indiscriminate exploration.
Nobody paid attention to this before ‘coz oil was readily available. Besides, there was also uranium to fuel the nuclear power plants. The disaster in Japan changed the equation. Nuclear energy is no longer a viable alternative. This leads to the depletion of oil reserves even more rapidly. Harnessing solar energy is still a dream. So, gas is the next choice.
Oh, how I wish I were as young as Zulacs! Now, I’m only good at producing offspring. :( ;)
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Australia creates world's largest marine reserve network, limits fishing, oil, gas exploration
By: Rod McGuirk, The Associated Press
Posted: 06/13/2012 7:20 PM | Last Modified: 06/13/2012 10:19 PM
CANBERRA, Australia - Australia has created the world's largest network of marine reserves and will restrict fishing and oil and gas exploration in a major step to safeguard the environment and access to food.
The area will cover 3.1 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of ocean including the entire Coral Sea, and encompass a third of the island continent's territorial waters.
Environment Minister Tony Burke said Thursday the government expects to pay an estimated 100 million Australian dollars ($100 million) to the fishing industry in compensation for the new restrictions on their operations that will take effect late this year.
Highly protected areas such as the Coral Sea off Australia's northeastern coast and the adjoining World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef will also be protected from oil and gas exploration. Both areas, which cover a total 1.3 million square kilometres (500,000 square miles), have shallow reefs that support tropical ecosystems with sharks, coral, sponges and many fish species.
The numbers of marine reserves off the Australian coast will be increased from 27 to 60.
Burke said he wanted the reserves to set a benchmark for the world in environmental protection and food security — the access to and consistent availability of food. The plan aims to guarantee future fish stocks by preventing overfishing.
"We have an incredible opportunity to turn the tide on protection of the oceans and Australia can lead the world in marine protection," he said.
Don Henry, chief executive of the environmental group Australian Conservation Foundation, said the plan will make Australia a global leader in ocean protection.
But he warned that the remote northwest region [Broome?] where an offshore oil and gas industry is already established had been left vulnerable to the threats of further energy exploration.
Rachel Siewert, a senator for the environmentally focused Greens party which supports the centre-left Labor Party minority government, described the plan as a "cave-in to the oil and gas industry."
Judy Lynne, chief executive of the recreational anglers' group Sunfish Queensland, said the ban on commercial operations in the most environmentally sensitive areas would result in more foreign trawlers fishing illegally.
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Been browsing the www.boholster.com/Fish (http://www.boholster.com/Fish) Market in Long Beach. Noticed the crab the lady was showing. Soooo tiny! Hehehe.
Reminds me of Broome and the Aus king crab. The shell is wider than a blokes shoulder to shoulder. Google “australian king crab” and click “Images for australian king crab - Report images”. Lots of them in Broome. Costs at least $300 each. But, if you’re working in the mines or in that massive gas plant construction project in Broome, should be peanuts.
One of the myriads of reasons to apply for work here. Hehehe. :) ;)
Hmmmm! Something tells me that the golden days here [Ilihan] will soon be over. Although the youngbloods here are enjoying the fiesta, their hearts and minds are in Broome. Soon, they’ll be celebrating the fiesta there. Aside from lechon and adobong manok, there’ll be steaks and lobsters. And the really2X giant mud crabs. Saw one being held up by a bloke with both hands. Similar to the ones in Central America. Like Philippines, Broome has a tropical climate.
Mamingao na kaau ang Ilihan. :( Or, for that matter, Bohol. Malungkot na si RG and whoever’s left behind. They’ll be reminiscing the sweet moments past. How delightful has been the friendship boon! Can’t help it! Like skipper, gotta accept the harsh realities of life. Money is more important. Hehehe.
I can envisage a talented girl like Zulacs being involved in the massive gas plant construction there. Unlike those working in the mines, no need to be travelling back and forth every fortnight. Plenty of time for correspondence courses online to fully qualify her profession. Perhaps, even go further. Eventually, becoming a ceo of that plant.
Buying a large vacant land for investment. Easy to secure a 25-yr home loan from the bank. Temporarily having a makeshift shelter for home. Eventually, a skyscraper designed by her. Annual fiestas will be held there.
Goodbye Bohol! Goodbye Philippines. Filipinas kong mahal.
;)
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Teresa Ooi From: The Australian July 12, 2012 12:00AM
INCENTIVES: Mining companies can pay up to $150,000 in cash allowances and incentives to entice staff to work in remote areas in Western Australia -- thanks to the resources boom -- a survey by Hay Group says.
Housing allowance is often the biggest cash payment made to employees on top of the basic salary, which is already 17 per cent higher than the market average.
Other incentives include a sign-on bonus of about $20,000, site allowance of about $20,000 and a shift allowance of about $17,000. Some companies also pay a retention bonus.
A senior manager in WA could get up to $96,000 in housing allowance compared to a similar position in Queensland, which will receive only $23,500.
"The huge disparity between WA and other states is based on the remoteness of many of the operations in the resources sector," Hay's senior consultant Steven Paola said.
"Some of these remote locations are becoming quite an expensive place to live and hence companies are providing additional allowances to employees to attract and retain them.
..."The payment of allowances and bonuses is integral to encourage workers to remote sites.
"While the allowances are much higher than in other industries, they are not out of kilter with the prevailing cost of facilities and services," Mr Paola said.
Remote areas, often described as "hardship" postings, lack basic services and are at least 200km from the closest town.
The survey of 55 companies in the resources, mining, construction, oil and gas industries was completed last month.
Mr Paola said a senior manager in WA's Pilbara region could receive up to $121,000 housing allowance -- five times more than a similar position in Queensland's Bowen Basin.
But Mr Paola warned: "The rising cost of wages and incentives may not be sustainable in the long term."
Property prices have also soared in WA, with the median house prices in the Pilbara at $800,000 -- higher than Sydney's $555,000. :o
House prices in Port Hedland have also skyrocketed: a three-bedroom house now costs more than $1.7m. :o
"The high demand and acute housing shortage have resulted in one Pilbara property being sold every 15 hours," Mr Paola said.
In regional Queensland's Bowen Basin, the median house price is $578,500 -- $79,500 higher than Brisbane.
For executives who are sent to work in the sector for a shorter term, most companies pay a rental allowance as a cash payment on top of the employee's base salary.
In WA, companies tend to pay a rental allowance that is double that of other states.
A senior manager in WA can expect to receive an annual rental allowance of $26,000 compared to $18,200 in Queensland.
But in the Pilbara, rental allowance can be as much as four times the national average.
TERESA OOI :) ;)
Hmmmm! Something tells me that the golden days here will soon be over. Although the youngbloods here are enjoying the fiesta, their hearts and minds are in Broome. Soon, they’ll be celebrating the fiesta there. Aside from lechon and adobong manok, there’ll be steaks and lobsters. And the really2X giant mud crabs. Saw one being held up by a bloke with both hands. Similar to the ones in Central America. Like Philippines, Broome has a tropical climate.
Mamingao na kaau ang Ilihan. Or, for that matter, Bohol. Malungkot na si RG and whoever’s left behind. They’ll be reminiscing the sweet moments past. How delightful has been the friendship boon! Can’t help it! Like skipper, gotta accept the harsh realities of life. Money is more important. Hehehe.
I can envisage a talented girl like Zulacs being involved in the massive gas plant construction there. Unlike those working in the mines, no need to be travelling back and forth every fortnight. Plenty of time for correspondence courses online to fully qualify her profession. Perhaps, even go further. Eventually, becoming a ceo of that plant.
Buying a large vacant land for investment. Easy to secure a 25-yr home loan from the bank. Temporarily having a makeshift shelter for home. Eventually, a skyscraper designed by her. Annual fiestas will be held there.
Goodbye Bohol! Goodbye Philippines. Filipinas kong mahal. ;)
Broome is part of the Pilbara region. When I wrote this post, I thought that properties there could be bought at throw-away prices. Didn’t realise they’ve gone off the roof. Even higher than Sydney! Outrageous!!!!!
:o ;)
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Yes, indeed! Really love to go back. :) ;)
"I'd like to see myself married with a child and hopefully still involved in the entertainment business as an actor who is also able to write a bit and direct some projects." :) ;)
- Fred Savage
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Yes, outrageous. Pilbara region is an outback. You probably never heard of it. To have its property prices becoming more expensive than Sydney is akin to Ilihan farm becoming more expensive than Makati. Incredible! :o Defies all logic. ??? :-\ :) ;)
Yep, Aus's a crazy place to live in. ;D ;)
Really love to go back to the mine. Meet my soulmate there. A smart, young and lovely Pinay who's quick to learn which ropes to pull. Marry her and earn me truckloads of cash to bring into my next life. ;D ;)
Yeah, better than Internet-dating. Been doing that for ages. Then, travel to Phil to meet her. Only being scammed. :(
Like what happened here. Gusto nako young grass. Ang ihatag losyang. Lass was just a bait. Nakipag awai pa. >:( Buti lang hindi ako umuwi to accept the lunch invitation. Napagan unta ko. ::) Sayang lang. Banquet pa naman sana ang ihost. Hehehe. :) ;)
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The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
Project Location : Western Australia
Project Manager : Woodside Energy Ltd (operator)
Project Owner : Browse Joint Venture
Constructor : EPC contractors selected in competitive process
Construction Period : 5-6 years, from mid 2013
Project Value : TBC
Project Status : Evaluating tender bids for construction
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Australia’s reserves is so vast, the govt has to introduce measures to safeguard the environment from indiscriminate exploration.
Nobody paid attention to this before ‘coz oil was readily available. Besides, there was also uranium to fuel the nuclear power plants. The disaster in Japan changed the equation. Nuclear energy is no longer a viable alternative(?). This leads to the depletion of oil reserves even more rapidly. Harnessing solar energy is still a dream. So, gas is the next choice.
Oh, how I wish I were as young as Zulacs! Now, I’m only good at producing offspring. :( ;D ;)
ABC Kimberley Updated October 01, 2012 13:53:01
BHP says further drilling results confirm the Tallaganda find has huge potential.
Mining giant BHP Billiton says its oil and gas deposits in Western Australia's Kimberley are now a key focus for the company, after making a huge discovery in the Carnarvon Basin.
BHP made the Tallaganda gas discovery earlier this year and says further drilling results show the area has huge potential.
The company says the Tallaganda find has been its biggest discovery in 2012.
A company spokesperson says it is a world class deposit with significant potential and it opens up a large area close to existing fields.
BHP has also acquired additional prospective tenements over the past financial year.
BHP says its oil and gas exploration programs will now be focused on its tenements in WA's Carnarvon Basin along with its Gulf of Mexico deposits in the United States.
______________________________________________________
In other words, after James Price Point is done, next contract will be nearby Tallaganda bringing along a wealth of experience. :) ;)
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By ABC's Sara Phillips Updated Mon Oct 8, 2012 9:21am AEDT
Environmentalists have found a laundry list of reasons to oppose the James Price Point gas hub. But there is one aspect of the proposal that Woodside can't work around: the spectacular view. The ABC's Sara Phillips reflects on what would be lost if the plan goes ahead.
I recently went on holidays with my sister to the Kimberley region of Australia. It is a stunning part of the world.
The red earth and nuggetty shrubs (pindan country, they call it up there) give way unexpectedly to gorges of emerald green water and soaring black cliffs.
I persuaded my sister that we should drop in to James Price Point. You've probably heard of it: it's been in the news recently.
Australian energy company Woodside and partners are keen to unlock the natural gas of the Browse Basin 400 kilometres off the coast, north of Broome. They see $1 billion worth of possibility in the gas fields. In order to refine the gas, the company has received approval from the Western Australia Government to build an industrial plant at James Price Point.
Environmentalists have got wind of the proposal and are opposing it. News items featuring protesters grimly chaining themselves to bulldozers in the hot red dust have made it all around the world.
I wanted to see the area for myself. My sister, with a shrug, agreed to stop in.
We pulled up in our hired four-wheel-drive at about 2.00pm. We drove right to the edge of the cliff and disembarking from the car, we took in the view.
"Wow," said my sister.
At that hour of the afternoon, the sun is a bright white ball high in the sky. The sea, stretching to the horizon sparkled with a million diamonds. From our vantage point on the cliff, we could see the white beach stretching at least 80 km to the next point. We couldn't see a single soul walking on the sand. And the cliffs. When you see photos of the Kimberley, you assume that the tourism council has souped up the colours in Photoshop a bit. But the cliffs really are that red. Where they reach the beach, the red dirt sprinkles like chocolate on a cappuccino onto the white sand.
"Wow," I agreed. We decided to stay the night.
We spent the afternoon and the next day strolling along a people-less beach, tracing crab tracks and following marine snail trails. We sat in rockpools turned into a natural spa by the force of the incredible Kimberley tide. We marvelled at the starry northern sky, dimmed slightly by the light pollution coming from the proposed gas site.
Environmentalists have found a laundry list of reasons to oppose the gas hub. Flora, fauna, Indigenous culture, marine life, even, as showcased on Catalyst last week, dinosaurs.
Any or all of these reasons may be valid. Equally, Woodside may be able to build the plant with little or no disturbance to these features.
But there is one aspect of the proposal that Woodside can't mitigate: the view. James Price Point is undeniably beautiful. WA Premier Colin Barnett famously called Price's Point an "unremarkable" piece of coastline.
"I'm making the point that this is not the spectacular Kimberley coast that you see in picture postcards," he said to Four Corners.
Really? Have you had your eyes checked recently, Mr Barnett?
Woodside has alternative options for a gas hub location. Existing ports and gas plants are a little further away, and there have even been suggestions to build a big floating plant out to sea, nearer the gas field.
But developing a port for the gas was one of the conditions of the government approval to extract it. Besides the gas off the coast, under the pindan lies gold, diamonds, iron, bauxite and a wealth of other minerals. Barnett has been keen to exploit the potential of the Kimberley for as far back as 1998, when he was WA resources development minister.
But to process all these minerals, energy is needed, notes a 2005 report (PDF). A gas facility to provide the energy for minerals processing convenient to Broome, the biggest town in the area, would be handy. And proximity to the gas fields is obviously key. Sitting a gas plant "somewhere in the region of Dampier Peninsula" was one of the suggestions.
Any wonder Mr Barnett has expressed such enthusiastic support for Woodside's proposal: the plant is the first step to unlocking the mineral potential of the area.
But building an industrial facility of the size proposed by Woodside would, without putting too fine a point on it, ruin the spectacular beauty of James Price Point.
There's no way a large industrial complex would blend seamlessly into that landscape. A pier stretching out thousands of metres to waiting tankers is not something that some strategically planted bushes will hide.
The beauty of the area, described drily as "visual amenity" in the EPA report that recommended the proposal proceed, was "not considered to be a key environmental factor".
It's true, the Kimberley coastline has an abundance of beauty. For hundreds of kilometres in both directions, the turquoise sea meets the red earth. James Price Point is as beautiful as many locations along this stretch of Australia.
Any development anywhere in Australia of a previously untouched landscape irrevocably ruins the "visual amenity". James Price Point is no different.
But the question for Woodside, the protesters opposing it, and the pro-development Premier, is what price to place on that beauty.
This is not a disturbed environment, like building a new industrial complex in Port Botany or Altona. If the Point is to be developed, should the proponent, as with endangered flora and fauna, be required to compensate the state and her people in some way for the destruction of this natural place?
This is a pristine piece of Australia. Ancient and unchanged. Do we have a right to be adequately compensated for its loss?
Should all developments that compromise our natural heritage be asked for compensation? What form should that compensation be in? How would its value be determined?
If we are to relinquish our natural assets to private companies for a use that will fundamentally change the value of those assets, should we, as a nation, ask a little more in return?
This article was first published on the ABC's Environment portal.
Sara Phillips is the editor of the ABC's Environment Portal.
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To see a snapshot of the splendid coastline, click http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-08/phillips-james-price-point/4300504 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-08/phillips-james-price-point/4300504)
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Broome WA is an exotic pearling town and offers some deliciously indulgent eco-resorts, dotted across its spectacular landscape.
Broome's Cable Beach, with 22 kilometres of white sand, kissed by warm, crystal waters, is justifiably world famous and the ideal place to watch the sunset on a balmy, tropical night.
From fiery red ochre cliffs contrasting with bright turquoise waters to pearl diving sagas and dinosaur footprints - the history of Broome is as captivating as the scenery.
Situated in the State's far north, a two and a half hour flight from Perth, it's an oasis of colour, culture and eclectic characters.
The chilled out vibe, colourful lifestyle and vibrant landscape have made Broome a mecca for artists, writers and musicians.
The town's multicultural mix was shaped by a romantic pearling history when Japanese, Filipino and Malay pearl divers arrived in droves seeking their fortune.
Today, thanks to Broome's unpolluted waters, South Sea pearls are among the most coveted in the world. Witness first-hand how Broome pearls are cultured at a local pearl farm.
Pearl showrooms line the streets of Chinatown - splash out on a pearl (or two!) as the ultimate memento of your trip. This is also where you'll find art galleries, shops and cafes - the perfect place for some retail therapy.
One of Broome's natural treasures is the Staircase to the Moon. For three days after the full moon from March to October, reflections stretch out across shiny mudflats creating the beautiful illusion of a long silver staircase.
Another interesting natural attraction is Gantheaume Point, where you can see dinosaur footprints believed to be more than 130 million years old.
Accommodation-wise, there are plenty of plush hotels, up-market resorts and eco retreats to choose from. For the budget traveller, there's a good selection of hostels.
For those planning on travelling to Broome with a pooch we suggest planning ahead and checking the availability of dog-friendly accommodation options before you travel.
For more information on Broome WA contact the Broome Visitor Centre on +61 8 9192 2222 or visit their website. :) ;)
Brings back memories of good young days.
Came here Aug 18, 1980. 1st job was as a mineral research assistant at the Qld Uni. Pay was a pittance but got good references.
1 yr later, accepted a job with BHP Minerals Ltd (owned by the then giant BHP aka the big Australian). Assigned to Koolan Island, WA, off Yampi Sound, an hr’s small Cessna flight from Derby, a coastal town. Derby is 214Km south of Broome, also a coastal town, located northwest of Aus.
Broome is a tourist attraction. Part of Cable Beach used to be a nude beach. Went there, sometimes, during long weekend break. Hehehe. :) ;) Dunno now.
Got initiated into the Aus life – a fugue of tedium; of stultifying ennui. Hehehe. Had 12 haulage trucks (similar to the Wabco mine trucks), but 18 truck drivers rostered each shift. 6 went fishing at the wharf and rotated after each hour. Each shift is 12 hrs – 8 hrs normal rate, 4 hrs double rate.
Money was relatively easy, but, like any mining town, life was malungkot. Trend for single blokes to go to Phil and look for Pinays for marriage. Joined the bandwagon. That’s how got married. Hehehe.
Koolan Island was an open-pit iron ore mine. Has closed down since due to competition mainly from Brazil, having enough hi-grade iron ore reserve to supply earth for 500 yrs.
But Aus is still a major exporter of other ores like uranium, coal, gold, copper, etc. :) ;)
Really miss the nude beach. First time watched a number of girls in their naked beauty. Must be a replica of Paradise. Must have been what the Garden of Eden was. Hehehe. ;) Wonder if still there. :) ;)
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i want to experience this
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??? C'mon! Don't tell me USA doesn't have nude beaches. :-\
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Glenn Cordingley and Pam Casellas, The West Australian Updated January 16, 2013, 2:10 am
Woodside is pressing ahead with its plans for a gas hub at James Price Point, with one of its contractors applying to build a massive camp just outside Broome to house almost 1000 transient workers.
Skunthorpe Accommodation Camp, 24km north-east of Broome, will house workers building accommodation at James Price Point. It will include a bar and wet mess and will, according to Woodside, ensure that workers do not flood tourist facilities in Broome.
A building application has been lodged with the Shire of Broome by Planning Solutions on behalf of Decmil Group in partnership with Nyimarr.
The application is for an "857-person temporary transient workers' accommodation on Lot 283 Broome Road, Roebuck". The application will go out to public comment tomorrow and be determined by the Kimberley Joint Development Assessment Panel.
Woodside said the main construction workforce would be at a purpose-built accommodation village at the Browse LNG Precinct, 60km north of Broome near James Price Point.
The camp would be the first accommodation available for the proposed development and house Woodside employees and contractors, including construction workers and offshore workers.
"The camp will minimise the use of established tourist accommodation during the Broome's tourist peak season," a Woodside spokeswoman said.
Woodside said strategies were in place to "maximise community benefit", including opportunities for local business participation, and to "minimise the impacts of the Browse development on the local community".
Broome shire president Graeme Campbell said that under planning rules the application must be bought before the Kimberley Joint Development Assessment Panel - the body that will either approve or refuse the application - within 90 days of its lodgement on January 7.
"This is a very large project and all sorts of matters will have to be considered, like the social impact and how the camp will be managed," Mr Campbell said.
Woodside said it was planned the camp would operate for up to five years from late this year, subject to a final investment decision, expected in the first half of the year.
Environment group Environs Kimberley called on Premier Colin Barnett to scrap development assessment panels and give back development powers to local government.
Executive director Martin Pritchard said the Kimberley assessment panel overrode the Shire of Broome last year by giving retrospective planning approval to Woodside for investigative work at James Price Point after the council refused the application.
'The camp will minimise the use of established tourist accommodation.' " Woodside spokeswoman
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The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
Just a reminder for lovely Filipino lasses back home to lodge your resumes.
See you at the nude beach. Hope it's still there.
:) ;)
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Really miss the nude beach. First time watched a number of girls in their naked beauty. Must be a replica of Paradise. Must have been what the Garden of Eden was. Hehehe. ;) Wonder if still there. :) ;)
i want to experience this
Sorry, skipper. But more interested in watching lovely lasses at the nude beach. ;D ;)
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Project Location : Western Australia
Project Manager : Woodside Energy Ltd (operator)
Project Owner : Browse Joint Venture
Constructor : EPC contractors selected in competitive process
Construction Period : 5-6 years, from mid 2013
Project Value : TBC
Project Status : Evaluating tender bids for construction
The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
The Sydney Morning Herald April 12, 2013 - 9:22AM Glenda Kwek Business Reporter
Woodside Petroleum has shelved its plans for the controversial $40 billion-plus Browse LNG project, saying it is not commercially viable, in a move that has been applauded by investors.
The oil and gas giant said it would review alternative ideas with its joint venture partners in the Browse project.
“Woodside will immediately engage with the Browse joint venture to recommend evaluation of other development concepts to commercialise the Browse resources”
Woodside said in a statement to the ASX this morning that it had "determined that the development concept does not meet the company's commercial requirements for a positive final investment decision".
It said some of the alternatives it would discuss with its partners included floating technologies, a pipeline to existing LNG facilities in the Pilbara or a small onshore option at the proposed Browse LNG precinct near James Price Point.
"Woodside will propose to the joint venture a work program and budget for the remaining 20 months of the retention leases with a commitment to the timely development of the Browse resources," it added.
The costs for the Browse LNG project have been estimated at more than $40 billion.
Investors applaud move
The market cheered Woodside's decision, driving the stock up $1.21, or 3.4 per cent, to $36.49 in morning trade.
IG Markets market strategist Evan Lucas said the market was responding to the fact that Woodside’s capital expenditure would drop away substantially in the short term.
‘‘There would have been a considerable construction period before it even started production with more overhang,’’ he told AAP.
Until now shareholders would have been concerned about possibly share-diluting actions such as capital raisings to keep up with the costs.
Now they will expect share buybacks or capital returns, Mr Lucas said.
'Concept doesn't provide required return'
Woodside chief executive Peter Coleman will hold a press conference at 9am Perth time this morning.
He said in a statement that Woodside’s decision was a ‘‘commercial one’’ and not influenced by government policies.
‘‘[The decision] is driven by commercial risk and reward considerations and the proposed concept doesn’t provide the economic return required to proceed with the project,’’ Mr Coleman said, adding that it was too early to commit to a timing on when the joint venture partners would announce a decision on an alternative development.
Analysts had said rising costs and labour shortages made the existing project less likely.
Four possible alternatives
UBS executive director Nik Burns said Woodside and its joint venture partners were likely to consider four alternative development concepts in the medium to long term.
For one, the partners could choose to delay the project to a later time when costs would be lower after mining investment peaks, Mr Burns said.
"In the meantime though, we expect them to evaluate concepts such as floating LNG. That certainly provides the opportunity for the [joint venture] to avoid exposure to Australian costs and also allow the development of the project in smaller modules."
The onshore project was expected to have produced 12 million tonnes of liquefied gas a year, but the offshore technologies could allow the joint venture partners to reach a final investment decision on a single floating facility at a time, each producing about four to six million tonnes of liquefied gas a year, Mr Burns said.
Shell has also developed its own proprietary floating technology.
Mr Burns said the partners could also consider feeding the gas back to existing North West Shelf facilities in the Pilbara, or building a small-scale modularised facilities that could produce one to 1½ million tonnes a year.
"Under Woodside's own current deliverability forecast North West Shelf starts a shortfall on gas supplies by 2023, he said.
"That may be extended by further gas exploration discoveries, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to have a 16-million-tonne per annum LNG facility at North West Shelf running out of gas [some] years before starting out on a brand-new facility a thousand kilometres along the road, when the cost savings of tying it back makes a lot of sense."
Mr Burns added that the option of building smaller onshore facilities was less likely to be viable given the size of the resources at the location.
Environmentally sensitive site
The current project had been opposed by environmental and indigenous groups.
The Wilderness Society welcomed the announcement today, saying in a statement that the joint venture partners had ‘‘avoided possibly the biggest environmental battle in Australia’s history’’.
‘‘Hundreds if not thousands of people were prepared to stop Woodside from working in the sand dune area at Walmadan, which has great cultural significance to the traditional owners,’’ the society’s national director Lyndon Schneiders said.
‘‘There were always less environmental and socially destructive options yet governments of both persuasions ... tried to force this unwanted and unnecessary development on the Broome and Kimberley communities.’’
Woodside had been due to release its decision on the gas hub, which would have been built at James Price Point near Broome in the Kimberley region, by the end of June.
The new federal Resources Minister, Gary Gray, had to clarify suggestions in March he was in favour of offshore processing, saying he would not comment on Browse after he had spoken in support of the development of floating technologies.
In contrast, Mr Barnett has said he would not support the venture unless it was constructed onshore, amid concern that jobs and economic benefits could be lost.
Last year, mining giant BHP Billiton said it was divesting its stake in the gas venture, less than four months after Chevron had sold its share of Browse.
The environmentally sensitive Browse site is estimated to hold about 13.3 trillion cubic feet of gas.
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Hmmmm! What does this mean to you? ???
Simply means project's being deferred until becomes profitable to resume. Maybe after election. More freedom to import less expensive Filipino labour. ;)
Can't completely abandon. Must have spent a sizable fortune to date.
Don't lose hope. Lodge your application if you haven't already done so.
Lovely young Pinays! See you in Broome's nude beach soon. Can hardly wait. :-* ;)
Apply elsewhere as well. Goes without saying that the more mines applied, the more chances of landing a job. :) ;)
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by: AAP and Amy Wilson-Chapman From: PerthNow April 12, 2013 11:55AM
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard insists the investment phase of Australia's resources boom is yet to peak despite the dumping of a $45 billion liquefied natural gas project.
While shareholders have applauded Woodside Petroleum's dumping of a costly onshore liquefied natural gas plant by sending its stock soaring, Ms Gillard says the company's decision to shelve the massive project does not relate to federal or state regulatory issues.
Woodside Petroleum says a major review of the proposed Browse LNG processing plant, at James Price Point in Western Australia, found it would not deliver the returns needed.
"It's an issue for the company, so it's for them to deal with,'' she told reporters in Sydney a short time ago.
Ms Gillard said the resources boom would be at work in the economy for a long time to come.
"We haven't seen the peak of the investment phase into resources yet and we are yet to see the peak of the production phase,'' she said.peOver ``decades and decades and decades'' Australia would sell resources and make money from investment decisions being made now, she said.
Resources Minister Gary Gray remains confident the Browse gas resources will be developed.
"The gas and condensate fields in the Browse Basin were discovered in the early 1970s and the road to developing them has been a long one, [already spent too much to be completely abandoned]" he said.
Shares soar as Woodside dumps $45b James Point project
Woodside Petroleum confirmed rumours today that it was scrapping plans for its $45 billion LNG project at James Price Point in WA's north.
The stock was $1.21, or 3.4 per cent, higher at $36.49 at 9am Perth time.
IG Markets market strategist Evan Lucas said the market was responding to the fact that Woodside's capital expenditure would drop away substantially in the short term.
"There would have been a considerable construction period before it even started production with more overhang,'' he told AAP.
Until now shareholders would have been concerned about possibly share-diluting actions such as capital raisings to keep up with the costs.
Now they will expect share buybacks or capital returns, Mr Lucas said.
The company's flagship $15 billion Pluto LNG project is generating strong earnings since it started a year ago but was hit by delays and cost blowouts during construction in WA's expensive labour and equipment market.
The Browse Basin field itself is still expected to be developed, with joint venture partner Royal Dutch Shell to push for a cheaper floating LNG plant, which it is developing for its Prelude project in the same region as Browse.
Woodside said in a statement that it will review alternative ideas with its joint venture partners in the Browse project.
It said a major review of the proposed LNG processing plant, near Broome, had found it would not deliver the returns the company needed.
"Woodside will immediately engage with the Browse joint venture to recommend evaluation of other development concepts to commercialise the Browse resources, which could include floating technologies, a pipeline to existing LNG facilities in the Pilbara or a smaller onshore option at the proposed Browse LNG precinct near James Price Point,'' it said.
Missed opportunity tragic, says Barnett
It would be a tragedy and a missed opportunity if the Woodside-led Browse gas project didn't wind up onshore at James Price Point - but that seems likely, Premier Colin Barnett says.
Woodside announced early today it had abandoned its concept for a large, multiple-user gas processing hub onshore at James Price Point north of Broome in the Kimberley region as it was "not commercially viable''.
The oil and gas giant said it was reviewing "alternative concepts'' for commercialising Browse Basin gas, including a floating processing vessel, a smaller onshore plant at James Price Point and piping the gas hundred of kilometres south to its existing facilities at Karratha.
Woodside said its decision was not based on environmental, red tape or public policy issues.
Mr Barnett has long been adamant the gas should be processed onshore as this would ensure local jobs.
But he softened his tone on Friday, saying an offshore project would still bring benefits to WA.
"If the project goes ahead offshore ... it would still bring some benefits to WA,'' Mr Barnett said.
"It would be a tragedy and a missed opportunity if that gas did not come onshore.''
He said he preferred the smaller onshore option over a floating development, which he believed had significant safety risks including cyclones.
The piping option was unlikely as it required the consent of a different joint venture, he said.
The premier has also been a major advocate of the now indefinitely shelved Oakajee port proposal for the state's Mid West region and this week said the state government was still working to bring in Chinese investors to revive the project.
Green groups welcome decision
Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Don Henry said the project would have done untold damage to the region's coastline.
Wilderness Society director Lyndon Schneiders said Woodside's decision should serve as a warning to both governments and businesses which wanted to force unwanted and unsustainable developments on communities
Meanwhile, resources Minister Gary Gray remains confident the offshore Browse gas resource will be developed.
"The gas and condensate fields in the Browse Basin were discovered in the early 1970s and the road to developing them has been a long one,'' he said.
The energy giant says it will review alternative ideas with its joint venture partners in the Browse project.
Woodside said a major review of the proposed LNG processing plant, near Broome, had found it would not deliver the returns the company needed.
"Woodside will immediately engage with the Browse joint venture to recommend evaluation of other development concepts to commercialise the Browse resources, which could include floating technologies, a pipeline to existing LNG facilities in the Pilbara or a smaller onshore option at the proposed Browse LNG precinct near James Price Point,'' it said today.
Speculation mounted late yesterday that Woodside would scrap the project.
Woodside received conditional planning approval from the WA government last week to build a $120 million camp to house more than 850 fly-in fly-out workers at the proposed gas hub.
The company recently said it was sticking to its June schedule for a final decision on building the onshore processing plant.
But analysts believe the proposal was not economically viable due to spiralling costs and challenges securing labour.
Joint venture partner Royal Dutch Shell prefers a floating liquefied natural gas facility.
Yesterday
WA Premier Colin Barnett yesterday said that he had not been informed of the decision.
Asked by Opposition leader Mark McGowan if he had been advised by Woodside that the project had been rejected by the consortium, Mr Barnett today told Parliament it was not for him to divulge market-sensitive information.
The Sunday Times revealed in January that the proposed LNG hub in the Kimberley was unlikely to proceed because of escalating costs that threatened its profitability.
The Woodside joint venture, which had been due to announce a decision before June, has decided against proceeding with the onshore hub at James Price Point, which has attracted fierce opposition from environmentalists and many locals.
The decision has torpedoed a $1.5 billion benefits package negotiated with native title claimants, the Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr, although some compensation may be negotiated.
PerthNow understands the final decision not to proceed came after a meeting on Monday night.
Greens MP Robin Chapple called on the state government to rescind the Browse Land Agreement Act.
"If it doesn't, the sword of Damocles will hang over the Kimberley for the next 10 years,'' he said in a statement.
"It is a clear victory that Woodside and their partners have seen sense, but the state government continues to hold the Kimberley to ransom while this Act continues to operate.''
The project has been hotly debated in WA, with Mr Barnett arguing the LNG must be processed onshore to maximise benefits to WA and particularly local Aboriginals.
Broome is a town divided over the project - while there is support for it, some believe the LNG should be processed offshore, while others do not want it to go ahead at all.
Just yesterday, Royal Dutch Shell's Ann Pickard restated the organisation's preference for floating LNG - arguing it would put WA at the forefront of innovation in the industry.
Mr Barnett is bitterly opposed to the floating LNG option, saying WA would miss out on thousands of construction jobs and royalties.
Recently-appointed Federal Resources Minister Gary Gray has previously voiced his support for the floating technology.
Broome Chamber of Commerce executive officer Maryanne Peterson said several contractors had been told not to proceed with work, such as ground clearing.
"(Woodside) have decided not to proceed with some activities that they were going to undertake prior to FID (final investment decision)," she said.
"We don't know whether this work is just being postponed or whether they already had enough information collected to make a decision - we don't know what it really means."
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Hmmmm! What does this mean to you? ???
Simply means project's being deferred until becomes profitable to resume. Maybe after election. More freedom to import less expensive Filipino labour. ;)
Can't completely abandon. Must have spent a sizable fortune to date.
Don't lose hope. Lodge your application if you haven't already done so.
Lovely young Pinays! See you in Broome's nude beach soon. Can hardly wait. :-* ;)
Apply elsewhere as well. Goes without saying that the more mines applied, the more chances of landing a job. :) ;)
something tells me this is just a ploy to attract investors. Can't simply abandon after having spent so much. :) ;)
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The Sydney Morning Herald April 12, 2013 - 9:22AM Glenda Kwek Business Reporter
Woodside Petroleum has shelved its plans for the controversial $40 billion-plus Browse LNG project, saying it is not commercially viable, in a move that has been applauded by investors.
The oil and gas giant said it would review alternative ideas with its joint venture partners in the Browse project.
“Woodside will immediately engage with the Browse joint venture to recommend evaluation of other development concepts to commercialise the Browse resources”
Woodside said in a statement to the ASX this morning that it had "determined that the development concept does not meet the company's commercial requirements for a positive final investment decision".
It said some of the alternatives it would discuss with its partners included floating technologies, a pipeline to existing LNG facilities in the Pilbara or a small onshore option at the proposed Browse LNG precinct near James Price Point.
"Woodside will propose to the joint venture a work program and budget for the remaining 20 months of the retention leases with a commitment to the timely development of the Browse resources," it added.
The costs for the Browse LNG project have been estimated at more than $40 billion.
Investors applaud move
The market cheered Woodside's decision, driving the stock up $1.21, or 3.4 per cent, to $36.49 in morning trade.
IG Markets market strategist Evan Lucas said the market was responding to the fact that Woodside’s capital expenditure would drop away substantially in the short term.
‘‘There would have been a considerable construction period before it even started production with more overhang,’’ he told AAP.
Until now shareholders would have been concerned about possibly share-diluting actions such as capital raisings to keep up with the costs.
Now they will expect share buybacks or capital returns, Mr Lucas said.
'Concept doesn't provide required return'
Woodside chief executive Peter Coleman will hold a press conference at 9am Perth time this morning.
He said in a statement that Woodside’s decision was a ‘‘commercial one’’ and not influenced by government policies.
‘‘[The decision] is driven by commercial risk and reward considerations and the proposed concept doesn’t provide the economic return required to proceed with the project,’’ Mr Coleman said, adding that it was too early to commit to a timing on when the joint venture partners would announce a decision on an alternative development.
Analysts had said rising costs and labour shortages made the existing project less likely.
Four possible alternatives
UBS executive director Nik Burns said Woodside and its joint venture partners were likely to consider four alternative development concepts in the medium to long term.
For one, the partners could choose to delay the project to a later time when costs would be lower after mining investment peaks, Mr Burns said.
"In the meantime though, we expect them to evaluate concepts such as floating LNG. That certainly provides the opportunity for the [joint venture] to avoid exposure to Australian costs and also allow the development of the project in smaller modules."
The onshore project was expected to have produced 12 million tonnes of liquefied gas a year, but the offshore technologies could allow the joint venture partners to reach a final investment decision on a single floating facility at a time, each producing about four to six million tonnes of liquefied gas a year, Mr Burns said.
Shell has also developed its own proprietary floating technology.
Mr Burns said the partners could also consider feeding the gas back to existing North West Shelf facilities in the Pilbara, or building a small-scale modularised facilities that could produce one to 1½ million tonnes a year.
"Under Woodside's own current deliverability forecast North West Shelf starts a shortfall on gas supplies by 2023, he said.
"That may be extended by further gas exploration discoveries, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to have a 16-million-tonne per annum LNG facility at North West Shelf running out of gas [some] years before starting out on a brand-new facility a thousand kilometres along the road, when the cost savings of tying it back makes a lot of sense."
Mr Burns added that the option of building smaller onshore facilities was less likely to be viable given the size of the resources at the location.
Environmentally sensitive site
The current project had been opposed by environmental and indigenous groups.
The Wilderness Society welcomed the announcement today, saying in a statement that the joint venture partners had ‘‘avoided possibly the biggest environmental battle in Australia’s history’’.
‘‘Hundreds if not thousands of people were prepared to stop Woodside from working in the sand dune area at Walmadan, which has great cultural significance to the traditional owners,’’ the society’s national director Lyndon Schneiders said.
‘‘There were always less environmental and socially destructive options yet governments of both persuasions ... tried to force this unwanted and unnecessary development on the Broome and Kimberley communities.’’
Woodside had been due to release its decision on the gas hub, which would have been built at James Price Point near Broome in the Kimberley region, by the end of June.
The new federal Resources Minister, Gary Gray, had to clarify suggestions in March he was in favour of offshore processing, saying he would not comment on Browse after he had spoken in support of the development of floating technologies.
In contrast, Mr Barnett has said he would not support the venture unless it was constructed onshore, amid concern that jobs and economic benefits could be lost.
Last year, mining giant BHP Billiton said it was divesting its stake in the gas venture, less than four months after Chevron had sold its share of Browse.
The environmentally sensitive Browse site is estimated to hold about 13.3 trillion cubic feet of gas.
This is a catch-22 situation.
The reason the projects aren’t up and running is due to labour shortage. The reason for dearth of manpower is because very few are willing to work in remote places. Because very few are willing to work in remote places, the projects are held in abeyance.
So, fellow Filipinos back home, what are you waiting for? :) ;)
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Posted: 24/05/2013 5:00:00 AM by Mining Oil and Gas Jobs
Filed under: Oil-and-gas
________________________________________
LNG continues to place Perth as a top producer on the international spectrum. Australia’s fast-growing city will be hosting the world’s biggest LNG Conference in 2016.
LNG18 Perth is expected to attract over 5,000 delegates and exhibitors to Western Australia and will inject more than $50 million into the state’s economy.
LNG17 took place in Houston earlier this year, where hosting duties were passed onto Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion. Mining Australia reported that Department of Mines and Petroleum Director General Richard Sellers also accompanied Marmion to Houston to attend LNG17 and promoted Western Australia’s oil and gas prospects to potential investors.
Of the visit, Sellers said, “The Houston visit provided an invaluable opportunity for Western Australia to engage with the international LNG industry at the highest level. Our meeting with several oil and gas companies, including Chevron and Hess, included discussions relating to emerging LNG trends and Western Australia’s role as a global energy supplier for the Asian market.”
Australia is currently the fourth largest LNG exporter in the world, estimated to be worth $180 billion. With abundant reserves and a strong and stable industry, Australia is set to be one of the leading LNG producers in the world, overtaking Qatar.
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The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
Think this been put on hold before the election. Now, heard talk of resuming. Problem is whether ganahan pa ang mga customers. Nawawalan ng momentum. Gonna take a while to pick up. :(
Parehas ra na sa ato. When there’s opportunity, mag-playup. When opportunity’s gone, magcc. :)
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Broome, Western Australia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qwyfR3sp0E#ws)
Broome Western Australia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7P9QjQFbeE#ws)
CABLE BEACH BROOME WA WESTERN AUSTRALIA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQqplq6YcNU#)
Cable Beach
Cable Beach is situated 7 km from town along a good bitumen road. The beach itself is 22.5 km long with beautiful white sand washed clean daily by tides that can reach over nine metres. The water is crystal clear turquoise, and the gentle swells hardly manage to topple over as they roll up onto the almost perfectly flat beach. Caution, however is required when swimming from November through March as stingers are present during those months. Four wheel drive vehicles may be driven onto the beach from the car park. This allows people to explore the beach at low tide to a much greater extent than would be possible on foot. Sunset camel rides operate daily along the beach.
Cable Beach is home to one of Australia's most famous nudist beaches. The clothes optional area is to the north of the beach access road from the car park and continues to the mouth of Willie Creek, 17 km away.
Maybe the best beach in Australia, Cable Beach Broome WA from Flamewheel 550 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW3g18IgUJ0#ws)
Panorama Australia "BROOME Gem of the North West" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxJ1ZDe9FRs#ws)
Western Australia from Perth to Broome. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7XtIYAzucw#ws)
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Posted: 28/03/2014 5:00:00 AM by Mining Oil and Gas Jobs
Filed under: Mining, Oil-and-gas, Construction
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The government has appointed three delegates to assess the previously approved $40bn LNG project just north of Broome on the north-west coast of Western Australia. The project, which had approved by the Supreme Court, was shelved by Woodside and is now undergoing further review.
Western Australian Environment Minister Albert Jacob named the following delegates;
• Gerard Early, former deputy secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Environment
• Dr Tom Hatton, group executive of energy at the CSIRO
• Grant McLeod, newly appointed Environmental Protection Agency member
This team will assess the $40bn+ Browse LNG precinct, which has been proposed by Woodside and its partners at James Price Point. It is set to become one of Australia’s next major LNG production provinces. At concept stage the development was heavily involved with a huge LNG processing facility at James Price Point, where gas from the Browse Basin (425km) would undergo processing.
The scope for new LNG jobs and mining career opportunities is incredible, as is the projected economic benefit. So why was the project shelved in July last year, just months after approval recommendation?
Supreme Court Chief Justice Wayne Martin set the project aside based on a potential conflict of interest for three of the EPA’s board members. Two held shares in Woodside and another worked for Browse joint venture partner BHP. In another twist, these potential conflicts of interest had been declared early as 2009.
Western Australian Environment Minister Albert Jacob announced that the newly appointed delegates were well-respected and would be taking the project forward.
“These three delegates had no involvement in the previous Browse assessment and recommendations to Government,” he said. “I am confident the delegates will provide a well-considered and impartial report on the proposal.”
Things have changed somewhat since the original proposal, following an announcement by Woodside and its partners in September last year, that they intended to look at options to utilise floating LNG technology. This more cost effective method of exploration is developed by Shell, one of the project partners, and has benefits over more expensive onshore development options.
Despite problems effecting the project from the start, it looks as if things are finally picking up for this extremely lucrative development. Mining, oil and gas jobs continue to fuel Western Australia’s economy and once approval has been given, the Browse production precinct is set to support a huge number of new construction jobs as well.
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To read more, click http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/our-blog/march-2014/40bn-lng-project-in-western-australia-picks-up-pac.aspx (http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/our-blog/march-2014/40bn-lng-project-in-western-australia-picks-up-pac.aspx)
The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
Project Location : Western Australia
Project Manager : Woodside Energy Ltd (operator)
Project Owner : Browse Joint Venture
Constructor : EPC contractors selected in competitive process
Construction Period : 5-6 years, from mid 2013
Project Value : TBC
Project Status : Evaluating tender bids for construction
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'Unique Untouched Spectacular 'James Price Point, Kimberley, Western Australia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZzoqMZ3jtQ#)
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Posted: 20/06/2014 5:00:00 AM by Mining Oil and Gas Jobs
Filed under: Oil-and-gas, Mining
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A chance discovery is going to result in Western Australia earning billions of dollars in gas royalties from the Browse offshore petroleum project.
Three rocky outcrops – barely noticeable in size – have become the star of an incredible story for Western Australia. The outcrops were discovered by Geoscience Australia during a satellite sweep, and were discovered to contain significant volumes of gas that will result in massive extra royalties for the state.
The tiny islands are located in the North Scott Reef, directly above the Torosa gas field. They are less than a metre above sea level and no more than three metres long – less than the size of a kitchen table – yet they are still considered to be islands because they are naturally formed and located above water.
The discover has prompted something of a feud over who owns them, as WA currently owns around five per cent of the Browse resource – which is where the outcrops are located – but their designation as islands under sea laws means that they belong to WA. The federal government has now stated that WA may own as much as 65 per cent of Torosa, which is over half of Browse.
The West Australian reported that industry minister Ian Macfarlane said that it was crucial to develop the project, in spite of some fears that the ownership disputes could cause irresponsible development. He said: "In order for Australia to maintain its position as an international supplier of oil and gas and an energy superpower, it's important to continue to develop oil and gas projects.”
Premier Colin Barnett said that Geoscience Australia had revealed that WA’s ownership of the Browse gas was possibly far higher than previously believed. "We don't know the final figure yet but it will certainly give the State a greater role in decisions over the use of that gas and will also into the future provide more royalty income for WA," he said.
"WA will work co-operatively with the Commonwealth and the joint venture partners to bring the project into production."
It is likely that the gas from the tiny islands will be processed offshore, as onshore processing could prove uneconomical.
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To read more, click http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/our-blog/june-2014-(1)/rocky-outcrops-off-the-north-scott-reef-worth-bill.aspx (http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/our-blog/june-2014-(1)/rocky-outcrops-off-the-north-scott-reef-worth-bill.aspx)
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Broome 2013 Western Australia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeOKMwJ5oGk#)
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cheeky chic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYjaRiqzyDI#ws)
Merely to entice kababayan males to work in Broome. Lami kaau latigohon ang lobot. :D ;)
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cheeky chic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYjaRiqzyDI#ws)
Merely to entice kababayan males to work in Broome. Lami kaau latigohon ang lobot. :D ;)
Focus Turns to Gas
Posted: 4/06/2015 9:00:00 AM by Mining Oil and Gas Jobs
Filed under: Oil-and-gas, Mining
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At the World Gas Conference in Paris, major producer Total through their key personnel Patrick Pouyanne said the company will move away from coal and focus more on the burgeoning gas space, according to Bloomberg.
Pouyanne was quoted as saying at the conference “I still have a coal business and I have to get out of it,”
“I can’t say that coal is the enemy of gas and then continue to produce coal like some of my colleagues. I will get out of coal.”
“Total is gas and gas is good.”
Pouyanne furthered the position that the LNG market is expected to represent a greater share of the current global energy share.
“There will be a profound change in the world energy mix and Total plans to produce around 32.5 million tonnes of LNG.”
Poyanne was not alone in that sentiment with Chevron promoting LNG, with chairman John Watson saying “Natural gas and LNG will be essential to the world’s future energy mix and natural gas is significant part of the company’s portfolio.”
Exxonmobil CEO Rex Tillerson added that there is a predicted 65 per cent growth in gas demand in the coming 25 years, with gas likely to overtake coal as the second most prolific fuel source by 2025
Shell CEO Ben Van Beurden stated that gas, not coal, needed to be centre of focus in the world energy mix.
“How do we ensure that gas, not coal, is at the heart of the energy solution to meet rising demand,” Van Beurden asked.
“The benefits of gas are well documented,” he said.
“Gas is flexible, abundant, its ranges of use are increasing, it’s a strong ally for renewables, and it makes economic sense. Building gas power stations is faster and cheaper than coal. So, the quicker we move away from coal to a mix of gas and renewables, the cheaper energy will become.
“Still, the golden age of gas will not come automatically; we will need to work for it.”
Last month van Beurden made similar statements on the future importance of gas, stating that the company is shifting from "an oil-and-gas company to a gas-and-oil company".
Shell has also upped its exposure to the industry by leading the world with the development of its floating LNG platform Prelude, and making a massive $94 billion takeover push for the BG Group, which would give it access to the QCLNG plant on Curtis Island.
The energy giant has previously fought the expansion of coal globally, previously lobbying the World Bank to halt funding coal-fired plants before the firm announced it would cut lending to the coal sector.
Shell's head of gas, Maarten Wetselaar stated the company formed a department whose sole purpose was to lobby governments and funding bodies to look to gas as a power source over coal.
Maarten Wetselaar said climate change had pushed Shell to convince entities to increase the sale of gas in the global market
Australian LNG is now shifting into this next era, moving from an era of construction into one of production.
- See more at: http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/our-blog/june-2015-(1)/focus-turn-to-gas.aspx#sthash.EPQeQIT8.dpuf (http://www.miningoilgasjobs.com.au/our-blog/june-2015-(1)/focus-turn-to-gas.aspx#sthash.EPQeQIT8.dpuf)
The Browse LNG is a $34 billion liquefied natural gas plant project proposed for construction at James Price Point, 60 kilometres (37 mi) North of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia. The plant is being built by a joint partnership including Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and BHP Billiton. It would process natural gas extracted from the Browse Basin. Liquefied natural gas would then be shipped from a port facility also located in the Browse LNG Precinct.
Technical description
The plant will include three LNG trains able to process an expected 15 million tonnes of LNG per year. LNG would be pumped via 8 pipelines to a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) jetty. In the construction phase the Precinct would also include a camp to house 8000 workers and would entail the clearing of 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of coastal bushland.[1]
The Browse Basin contains proven gas reserves of 30.4 billion cubic feet (860 million cubic metres) of gas and 600 million barrels (95×106 m3) of condensate. Estimations of the reserves range up to 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cubic metres), making the basin comparable in size to the North West Shelf region.
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No Gas at Broome, West Australia