Upgrade for Broome

THE WA Government has approved a $4 million multi-user infrastructure package to improve Broome’s port facilities.

The upgrade is to support growing offshore oil and gas industry activity in the area. Exploration companies have decided to drill more than sixty wells in the Browse and Bonaparte basins over the next five years.

A further twenty-eight permit areas in the Browse and Canning Basins are to be released by the Federal Government.

Mermaid Marine Australia is designing a new maritime facility and supply base at the port and is expected to start its first activity for petroleum exploration in the next three months.

A joint venture between marine fuel suppliers Fremantle Oil Distributors and West Kimberley Fuels has almost completed installation of a new $800,000 pipeline at the Broome wharf to supply fuel to rig tenders and other vessels.

Drilling commitments in the Browse Basin will result in an estimated seventy-five supply vessel visits per annum to the Port of Broome in 2000-01, increasing to 150 the following year.