Thirtieth anniversary of Greater North West Shelf's first gas discovery

18/2/01
Newly-appointed State Development Minister Clive Brown said an important milestone in the State's resource development had been reached with the 30th anniversary today of the first major gas discovery on the greater North West Shelf at the Scott Reef-1 well.
"The State's resources industry has come a long way in that time, with more than $12 billion being spent on the North West Shelf oil and gas project in capital outlay alone, during that time," Mr Brown said.
He said recent exploration work on the field containing the Scott Reef and Brecknock gas discoveries had shown it has the potential to become a substantial producer and was a valuable future resource for Western Australia.
"As Scott Reef/Brecknock is largely owned by the North West shelf joint venture partners these gas resources can be relied upon to ensure the export of gas from WA in the long term," the Minister said.
It was 30 years ago today the Woodside Oil Company, which later became Woodside Petroleum, started drilling the exploration well of Scott Reef-1 off the remote Kimberley coast of WA.
Woodside is the major partner in the Scott Reef/Brecknock field, with a 50 per cent interest in the discoveries, together with Shell Australia, BHP Petroleum, BP and Chevron.
It was in June 1971 the success of the Scott Reef exploration drilling was known and the then Labor Minister for Mines, Don May, announced the discovery of significant quantities of gas.
The Scott Reef and Brecknock gas and condensate fields are listed as having reserves of 18.4 trillion cubic feet of dry gas and 228 million barrels of condensate.
While oil had been discovered at Legendre in 1968, Scott Reef was considered to be the first gas discovery of the fledgling Greater North West Shelf project and provided sufficient encouragement for companies to continue the hunt for oil in the region.
"The work was to underpin the eventual development of the massive North West Shelf gas project at Karratha - which is Australia's largest," Mr Brown said.
"From a humble start in our remote north west 30 years ago, the North West Shelf gas project continues to deliver economic benefits throughout WA and I look forward to working with the project to ensure it adds further value to this State's economic prosperity."
Media contact: Carole Cowling 9222 9699