WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE June–August 2006 $3 (inc GST) WA PORTS Vital infrastructure for Western Australia’s commodity exports LNG Keen interest in Browse Basin gas GOLD Major new development plans for Boddington IRON ORE Hope Downs project enters the fast lane Print post approved PP 665002/00062 approved Print post Jim Limerick DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES Investment Services 1 Adelaide Terrace East Perth, Western Australia 6004 Tel: +61 8 9222 3333 • Fax: +61 8 9222 3862 Email: [email protected] www.doir.wa.gov.au INTERNATIONAL OFFICES Europe European Office • 5th floor, Australia Centre From the Director General Corner of Strand and Melbourne Place London WC2B 4LG • UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 20 7240 2881 • Fax: +44 20 7240 6637 Email: [email protected] Overseas trade and investment India — Mumbai In a rare get together, key people who facilitate business via the Western Australian Western Australian Trade Office 93 Jolly Maker Chambers No 2 Government’s overseas trade offices gathered in Perth recently to discuss ways to 9th floor, Nariman Point • Mumbai 400 021 INDIA maximise services for local and international businesses. Tel: +91 22 5630 3973/74/78 • Fax: +91 22 5630 3977 Email: [email protected] All of the Western Australian Government’s 14 overseas offices, with the exception of India — Chennai the USA, were represented by their regional directors. Western Australian Trade Office - Advisory Office 1 Doshi Regency • 876 Poonamallee High Road Kilpauk • Chennai 600 084 • INDIA The event was a huge success with delegates returning home with fresh ideas on how Tel: +91 44 2640 0407 • Fax: +91 44 2643 0064 to overcome impediments and develop and promote trade in, and investment from, their Email: [email protected] respective regions. Indonesia — Jakarta Western Australia Trade Office JI H R Rasuna Said Kav C15 - 16, Kuningan Western Australia is Australia’s largest export State, accounting for about one-third of Jakarta 12940 • INDONESIA the nation’s total exports. Tel: +62 21 5290 2860 • Fax: +62 21 5296 2722 Email: [email protected] While resource commodities dominate the State’s exports, other growth areas for 2006 Japan — Tokyo will include information communications and technology, which is expected to grow by Government of Western Australia, Tokyo Office 13th floor, Fukoku Seimei Building 4.3 per cent, mining services 4 per cent, tourism 3.5 per cent and environmental and 2-2-2 Uchisaiwai-cho Chyoda • TOKYO 100-0011 JAPAN defence industries each 3.3 per cent. Tel: +81 3 5157 8281 • Fax: +81 3 5157 8286 Email: [email protected] Japan — Kobe Our trade representatives in these and other countries are skilled professionals who Western Australian Government Office can assist with aspects of market intelligence and business matching. 6th floor, Golden Sun Building • 3-6 Nakayamate-dori 4-Chome Chuo-Ku • Kobe 650-0004 JAPAN Details of how to contact these people can be found on the right-hand side of this page. Tel: +81 78 242 7705 • Fax: +81 78 242 7707 Email: [email protected] Malaysia — Kuala Lumpar Western Australian Trade Office 4th floor, UBN Tower • 10 Jalan P Ramlee KUALA LUMPUR 50250 MALAYSIA Tel: +60 3 2031 8175/6 • Fax: +60 3 2031 8177 Email: [email protected] Middle East — Dubai Western Australian Trade Office • Emarat Atrium PO Box 58007 • Dubai • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Tel: +971 4 343 3226 • Fax: +971 4 343 3238 E-mail: [email protected] People’s Republic of China — Shanghai Western Australian Trade & Investment Promotion Shanghai Representative Office • Room 2208, CITIC Square 1168 Nanjing Road West • Shanghai 200041 PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Tel: +86 21 5292 5899 • Fax: +86 21 5292 5889 Email: [email protected] People’s Republic of China — Hangzhou Western Australian Trade & Investment Promotion Key people fostering WA trade in overseas markets: Front row (from left to right) Simon Johnson – Regional Director, India, Hangzhou Representative Office Jim Limerick –Director General, DoIR, Gary Stokes –Deputy Director General, Office of State Development, DoIR Second row Room 910 • World Trade Office Plaza (from left to right) Richard Muirhead – Chief Executive Officer, Tourism WA, Verghese Jacob – Regional Director, Malaysia, Noel Zhejiang World Trade Centre Ashcroft – Agent General, London (Europe office), Chris Heysen – Regional Director, United Arab Emirates Third row (from left to 15 Shuguang Road • Hangzhou 310007 right) BJ Zhuang – Regional Director, China , Sherry Lin – Senior Consultant Western Australian Trade Development, Hong Kong, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Pankaj Savara – Regional Marketing Manager, United Arab Emirates, Siraphop Apilertvorakorn – WA Business Development Tel: +86 571 8795 0296 • Fax: +86 571 8795 0295 Manager, Thailand, Colin Slattery – General Manager, Market Development, International Market Development Division, DoIR Email: [email protected] Fourth row (from left to right) Young Yu – Regional Director, South Korea, Craig Peacock – Official Representative, North Asia, Martin Newbery – Regional Director, Indonesia, Brian Carew-Hopkins – Director, International Market Development Division, South Korea — Seoul DoIR, Nicholas Mackay – Senior Manager Western Australia, Taiwan Western Australian Trade & Investment Office 11th floor, Kyobo Building 1 Jongro 1-Ga, Jongro-Gu Seoul, SOUTH KOREA Prospect Cover photo: A heavily laden iron ore carrier exits Port Tel: +82 2 722 1217 • Fax: +82 2 722 1218 Western Australian Prospect magazine is published quarterly Hedland, which is currently Australia’s largest tonnage port. Email: [email protected] by the Western Australian Government’s Department of Industry and Resources (DoIR) and Ray Burns Media. Taiwan — Taipei Photo courtesy of BHP Billiton Iron Ore. WA Business Development Manager Editorial management: John Terrell, DoIR Communications Australian Commerce & Industry Office and Marketing. Tel: (08) 9222 3804 • Fax: (08) 9222 3069 Email: [email protected] Suite 2606, International Trade Building Advertising management: Ray Burns Media, #333 Keelung Road Section 1 • Taipei 110 TAIWAN PO Box 1230, South Perth Western Australia 6951 Tel: +886 2 8780 9118 ext 216 • Fax: +886 2 2757 6707 Tel: (08) 9227 6688 • Mobile: 0408 474 328 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Thailand — Bangkok Disclaimer WA Business Development Manager Prospect has been compiled in good faith by the Departmentof Industry Department of Australian Trade Commission • Australian Embassy and Resources. Opinions expressed in Prospect are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, or have the endorsement of Industry and Resources 37 South Sathorn Road • Bangkok 10120 • THAILAND the Department of Industry and Resources. The Department of Industry Tel: +662 344 6337 • Fax: +662 344 6360 and Resources has used all reasonable endeavours to ensure the material Email: [email protected] contained in this publication is correct, but it is intended to be general in www.doir.wa.gov.au nature. No representation is made with regard to the completeness or United States — Los Angeles accuracy of the information contained herein. The Department of Industry Western Australian Trade and & Investment Office and Resources disclaims any or all liability for loss or damage whatsoever suffered or incurred resulting from the use of or reliance on information Howard Hughes Centre, 6080 Centre Drive, 6th Floor contained herein. Readers of this publication should make and rely Los Angeles, CA 90045 USA on their own enquiries, research and judgements in making decisions affecting their own or any other person’s interest. Tel: +1 310 216 2827 • Fax: +1 310 216 5632 Email: [email protected] 2 Gold — A go-ahead is given for the $1.8 billion to $2 billion deep development of the Boddington gold mine. 3 LNG — First supplies of Western Australian liquefied natural gas arrive in China. 4 Ethanol — Australia’s first wheat-based ethanol plant, worth about $100 million, could be operating at Kwinana by early 2008. 5 Gas — Renewed interest in monetising the vast offshore gas resources of the Browse Basin. 6 - 16 WA PORTS FEATURE 20 Iron ore — Fast-track plans for the $1.5 billion Hope Downs iron ore project. 22 Mine safety — Worldwide interest in Western Australian-designed and built underground mine rescue chambers. 24 Oil receival facility — Roc Oil links up with Kwinana oil refinery to offload crude oil from its Cliff Head oil field. 25 Record year — Western Australia’s mineral and petroleum output hits a new record of $38.9 billion in 2005. PORTS — key infrastructure for resources This edition of Prospect takes a look at port infrastructure and its vital link to resources development in Western Australia. Boddington bubbles with excitement By John Terrell Department of Industry and Resources An air of excitement has enveloped the South West town of Boddington since a commitment was given in late February to develop the deeper ore bodies of the Boddington gold mine. The CEO of the Shire of Boddington, Peter Bradbrook, said local business confidence had risen sharply, and the council was hiring new staff to cope with new housing and infrastructure requirements. “It is definitely an exciting new time in the history of Boddington,” Mr Bradbrook said. “We saw the local hardware shop double in size in anticipation of a go-ahead announcement. Applications have been received to establish a pharmacy in Boddington, a new crane hire business has started up, while numerous other commercial queries have also been Going deeper: The Boddington open cut, from which 4.7 million ounces of gold and 6572 tonnes of copper have so far been received.” produced. The deep mining phase is planned to reap more than 11 million ounces of gold and about 200,000 tonnes of copper concentrates per year over a new 15-year mine life. The town’s population of about 1500 is expected to grow another 1000 by Murray & Roberts, was awarded a The operation, which is 66.67 per cent the time the new mine development contract worth $111 million for the owned by Newmont and 33.33 per cent by commences production in late 2008.