Start of production from NW Shelf's Goodwyn A platform welcomed

6/2/95

Resources Development Minister Colin Barnett has described as a giant step forward for Western Australia's petroleum sector, the start of production from the North West Shelf project's second offshore gas drilling and production platform, Goodwyn A.

Final commissioning activities on the new platform - the largest offshore facility in the southern hemisphere - were completed on the weekend and the export of gas and condensate have commenced.

Mr Barnett said the State's oil and gas industry was now enjoying results that reflected a justified confidence in its ability to find and develop oil and gas fields.

He said confidence was being reinforced by the competitive opportunities being provided through the de-regulation of the gas market and the development of new pipeline infrastructure with such projects as the Pilbara Energy Project and Gas to the Goldfields.

"The development of oil and gas resources off the North-West coast is gathering pace and WA is well placed to remain a major producer of these commodities for decades to come," he said.

"The Goodwyn platform will have the capacity to earn about $600 million a year in export income and can supply additional gas to shore as the domestic and international market expands."

The Goodwyn field, which was discovered in 1971, has an expected life of 30 years.

The Goodwyn A platform will produce up to 25.4 cubic metres of gas and up to 80,000 barrels of condensate a day.  It is expected to reach full capacity by mid-1996.

The Goodwyn platform is connected to the existing North Rankin 'A' platform by a 23-kilometre undersea pipeline.

Gas and condensate from Goodwyn will then flow along the existing 134 km pipeline to the onshore treatment plant on the Burrup Peninsula.

Mr Barnett said that as well as being a reliable producer for the gas market in WA, the Goodwyn A platform would provide feedstock for liquified natural gas (LNG) to be exported to customers in Japan and Europe and to the new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) extraction project now being developed.

With the expansion of the North West Shelf project and the possible development of other gas reserves, WA had the potential to be in the big league of LNG producers by the turn of the century.

"There is considerable potential for LNG production to at least double by 2010 and possibly reach 20 million tonnes, if both the Gorgon and Bonaparte Gulf LNG projects also proceed," the Minister said.

He said the State Government was pleased that the Goodwyn development had been a major provider of jobs in WA.

It had created a strong demand for skills in the metal and electrical fields.

Media contact: Carolyn Vicars - 222 9699