The Kimberley is again on the precipice of industrialisation. The McGowan Government opened the door in 2018 and welcomed the fracking industry in. Right now, a consortium has been created between the major petroleum leaseholders, agreements are being sought and formal fracking plans are being lodged with the EPA. 

Vast-scale airborne gravity surveys have been approved, with more on the way, 2D and 3D seismic planning over massive areas and 'data room' (i.e. desktop) geological assessment of the potential petroleum resources is ongoing. Partners are being sought, pipeline options are being discussed at high levels of the Federal Government, and the Kimberley is being spoken about like an inert monetary concept, with total lack of respect for the living country that it is. 

Whilst we commend the McGowan Government on its renewable initiatives, we deplore the fact that it has left the Canning Basin exploitable for thousands upon thousands of fracking wells, massive networks of pipelines/roads, flaring, processing facilities, workers' camps and environmental destruction of the largest intact tropical savannah left on the planet. The oil would need pipelines to a port (i.e. Broome) while the gas needs a major pipeline to either existing gas processing facilities like the North-west Shelf, or the mooted West-east pipeline, ultimately joining up with the network of pipelines that supply the east coast from the Moomba gas fields in north-west South Australia.

Black Mountain, a Texan fracking company, is here with grand destructive plans, whilst creating a consortium of Canning Basin petroleum leaseholders. Six new fracking test wells have been referred to the EPA, and 2D and 3D seismic testing in the Fitzroy River catchment is being planned. 

Theia Energy has its plans to produce up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. A single medium-sized vessel holds approximately 80,000 barrels, therefore either on such vessel per day or massive onshore storage facilities will be required. Fracked oil and gas well cannot just be stopped and started when you want the resource, as the flow ceases within the shale. Broome has previously been mentioned in Theia's conceptual plans (now deleted from their website) as a potential port. Plus massive volumes of gas will need a market - if they haven't already been flared because no immediate pipeline will be available whilst they develop the oil side of the business. 

Buru Energy is looking for a Farm-In partner for extensive exploration across its vast holdings. Like Theia's, Buru's documents compare the Canning Basin to other massive US and Canadian formations. Buru calls it 'world scale.'  

Finally, Squadron Energy (Andrew Forrest) publicly stated that it will be conducting survey work to seek out more climate-polluting gas. 

While the children are screaming out for a future that has promise, they are being offered a climate that is in crisis and an ecology that is rapidly heading towards collapse.