Buru Energy receives approval for tight gas testing programme in Western Australia

The Western Australia’s Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) has approved Buru Energy’s Laurel formation tight gas pilot exploration programme.

The DMP’s approval of the environmental, operational and safety plans for the programme follows the Environmental Protection Authority’s study which revealed that Buru’s small scale, limited duration proof of concept exploration proposal may not have a significant effect on the environment.

The programme is now expected to start with preliminary site preparation taking place during the Kimberley region’s dry season.

It includes the stimulation of tight gas zones in the current vertical exploration wells in the Laurel formation, which lies between 2km and 4km below the surface.

The company said that the testing will be the initial stage of a possible multi-stage exploration, appraisal and development programme to be carried out over several years.

Buru and its joint venture partner Mitsubishi expect to deliver 1,500 petajoules of gas into the West Australian domestic market.

Buru Energy managing director Keiran Wulff said Canning Basin gas is of strategic importance to the state and has the potential to provide long term benefits to the Kimberley community.

"There is considerable interest on a national scale to understand the commercial potential of tight gas in the basin and to ensure our programme is undertaken with utmost consideration to the environment and community," Wulff added.

Buru Energy’s petroleum assets and tenements are located onshore in the Canning Basin in the southwest Kimberley region of Western Australia.