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January 2010 – with thanks to Environs Kimberley

PTTEP Australasia - the company notorious for the recent massive Montara oil spill in the Timor Sea - is now moving closer to the Kimberley coast and jumping into bed with Woodside’s Browse Basin gas plans.

Government and Woodside want the gas from the Browse Basin processed to LNG at a massive, polluting industrial facility to be constructed on the Kimberley coast at James Price Point, 50km north of Broome. There are many reasons why this is a bad idea.

The recent West Atlas oil spill in the Kimberley was Australia’s worst rig-based oil spill and possibly our worst oil spill ever.

Recent reports state PTTEP Australasia has entered into a ‘farm-in agreement’ with Woodside Energy Ltd under which PTTEP will acquire a 20% participation interest in Petroleum Exploration Permits in the Browse Basin. This agreement is subject to approvals from the Australian government. Exploration activities include drilling of one exploration well in 2010.

This ‘partnership’ with PTTEP is particularly concerning given that Woodside is currently planning to put their Browse oil and gas extraction platform on Scott Reef .

From the submissions that have emerged from the Commonwealth Inquiry into the Montara oil spill it is clear that PTTEP was grossly negligent in that it did not ensure that a vital ‘pressure containment cap’ was installed on its drilling well.  The result was one of Australia’s worst ever oil spills in one of our most pristine marine environments.

Submissions also reveal gross negligence on the part of several governments and government agencies.  For example, the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts (DEWHA) has admitted it allowed PTTEP to operate without an oil spill contingency plan – breaching a legal condition attached to environmental approval for the development.

PTTEP to be allowed to expand operations in the Kimberley region and jump into bed with Woodside?

Despite previously saying that the Montara oil leak is ‘deeply regrettable and will harm the industry's reputation‘, Woodside is now prepared to work in partnership with that same company in even closer proximity to the world-significant Kimberley coast – including its amazing reefs.

Scott Reef and the Kimberley coast – under threat like never before

Major liquified natural gas (LNG) projects in north west WA - existing and proposed (c) The Wilderness Society. Click on map to enlarge.

The marine biodiversity values of Scott Reef include an incredible 898 species of fish surveyed (expected to be more than 1,000 species in total), nesting turtles including the internationally threatened green and hawksbill, humpback whales are present and there is a strong likelihood of sperm whales, large beaked and baleen whales, 118 species of crustaceans, 82 species of sponges and more than 220 species of coral.

A disaster like Montara at Scott Reef is unthinkable. The Federal Government is currently assessing Woodside’s proposal

Woodside and PTTEP must not be allowed to put an oil and gas rig on the environmentally sensitive Scott Reef.

Similarly a proposal, led by Woodside and the WA Government, to build a massive LNG  industrial site on the Kimberley Coast is environmentally irresponsible. Help us to make sure that this environmental disaster never happens.

1. Support our TV ad opposing the industrialisation of the Kimberley coast (coming soon tues 19 Jan)

2. Read about Minister Ferguson’s 120 day deadline and send your message now to stop the Kimberley timebomb.

Thank you