WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE March–May 2004 $3 (inc GST) Print post approved PP 665002/00062 post approved Print China WESTERN AUSTRALIAN OFFICES Department of Industry and Resources Mineral House • 100 Plain Street • EAST PERTH WA 6004 Tel: +61 8 9222 3333 • Fax: +61 8 9222 3430 www.doir.wa.gov.au Investment Services FROM THE MINISTER 168–170 St Georges Terrace • PERTH Western Australia 6000 Postal address: Box 7606 • Cloisters Square PERTH Western Australia 6850 Optimism with LNG Tel: +61 8 9327 5555 • Fax: +61 8 9222 3862 Email: [email protected] NG is vital as an emerging energy source at a time when there INTERNATIONAL OFFICES is concern about the longer-term sustainability of supply of Europe petroleum, issues about security of energy supplies generally, Government of Western Australia L and the need for the world to progress to less greenhouse-intensive European Office • 5th floor, Australia Centre Clive Brown, MLA Corner of Strand and Melbourne Place and polluting forms of energy. Minister for State LONDON WC2B 4LG • UNITED KINGDOM The Western Australian Government is optimistic that several Development Tel: +44 20 7240 2881 • Fax: +44 20 7240 6637 Email: [email protected] new LNG projects can be developed within the next two decades. India — Mumbai To maximise opportunities in LNG and related sectors, the Western Australian Trade Office Western Australian Government is focusing on four strategic areas 93 Jolly Maker Chambers No 2 9th floor, Nariman Point • MUMBAI 400 021 INDIA — developing a strong and competitive economy; providing Tel: +91 22 5630 3979/74/78 • Fax: +91 22 5630 3977 supportive infrastructure to projects; ensuring Government Email: [email protected] facilitation optimises outcomes for business, Government and the India — Chennai Western Australian Trade Office - Advisory Office community; and developing long-term relationships between all players as the basis for 1 Doshi Regency • 876 Poonamallee High Road ensuring mutually beneficial outcomes. Kilpauk • CHENNAI 600 084 • INDIA Tel: +91 44 2640 0407 • Fax: +91 44 2643 0064 Our vision is that Western Australia becomes a world-class energy hub incorporating LNG E-mail: [email protected] and gas processing industries, and where the skills and expertise of those industries that Indonesia — Jakarta support our LNG sector — specialised engineering, manufacturing, equipment suppliers, and Western Australia Trade Office c/- Australian Trade Commission • Australian Embassy maintenance contractors — are recognised both domestically and internationally. JI H R Rasuna Said Kav C15 - 16, Kuningan This means we are not only looking at supportive physical infrastructure, but knowledge JAKARTA 12940 • INDONESIA Tel: +62 21 2550 5331 • Fax: +62 21 522 7103 infrastructure as well. E-mail: [email protected] Western Australia is also taking a long-term strategic view by participating in the hydrogen Indonesia — Surabaya economy. Perth will soon be one of only 10 cities world-wide to participate in a global trial of Western Australian Trade Office Graha Pena 17th floor • Jalan Ahmad Yani 88 hydrogen-powered buses. SURABAYA 60234 INDONESIA The State Government’s in-principle approval of the Gorgon gas processing facilities on Tel: +62 31 829 9979 • Fax: +62 31 829 9975 Email: [email protected] Barrow Island is a great example of how we are working with industry and the community to Japan — Tokyo sustainably develop Western Australia’s natural resources. Western Australian Government Office We will continue to develop commercial relationships across a broad spectrum of issues, Australian Business Centre 28th floor, New Otani Garden Court and with a wide range of stakeholders, especially at events like the LNG 14 conference in Qatar 4-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-Ku • TOKYO 102-0094 JAPAN in March, which I will be attending. Tel: +81 3 5214 0791 • Fax: +81 3 5214 0796 Email: [email protected] Japan — Kobe Western Australian Government Office 6th floor, Golden Sun Building • 3-6 Nakayamate-dori FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL 4-Chome Chuo-Ku • KOBE 650-0004 JAPAN Tel: +81 78 242 7705 • Fax: +81 78 242 7707 Email: [email protected] Realising the value Malaysia Western Australian Trade Office he underlying asset value of Western Australia’s resource base 4th floor, UBN Tower • 10 Jalan P Ramlee KUALA LUMPUR 50250 MALAYSIA has been highlighted through massive capacity expansions Tel: +60 3 2031 8175/6 • Fax: +60 3 2031 8177 by the iron ore industry, securing its future as an economic Email: [email protected] T powerhouse. Middle East Western Australian Trade Office • Emarat Atrium BHP Billiton, Hamersley, Robe and Portman have between them PO Box 58007 • DUBAI • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Tel: +971 4 343 3226 • Fax: +971 4 343 3238 committed about A$3.5 billion to further development, with BHP Jim Limerick E-mail: [email protected] Billiton flagging an additional A$6.7 billion investment in its WA Director General People’s Republic of China — Shanghai resources portfolio of projects over the next five years. Department of Industry Western Australian Trade & Investment Promotion and Resources Shanghai Representative Office • Room 2208, CITIC Square 1168 Nanjing Road West • SHANGHAI 200041 Much of the increased iron ore demand and resultant increased PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA project investment has been instigated by China, which last year surpassed Japan as the Tel: +86 21 5292 5899 • Fax: +86 21 5292 5889 world’s leading seaborne trader of iron ore. Email: [email protected] People’s Republic of China — Hangzhou This edition of Prospect focuses on the boom which is China, and, in particular, the roles Western Australian Trade & Investment Promotion Hangzhou Representative Office played by the WA resources industry in cementing further and future contracts with that Room 910 • World Trade Office Plaza country. Zhejiang World Trade Centre 15 Shuguang Road • HANGZHOU 310007 It shows that the WA iron ore industry has the resources and ability to meet China’s PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA Tel: +86 571 8795 0296 • Fax: +86 571 8795 0295 demand over the long term, as it did during the earlier days of the 1960s and 1970s with E-mail: [email protected] the growth in the Japanese steel industry. Taiwan WA Business Development Manager Western Australia’s commercial ties with China are close. So too are the government-to- Australian Commerce & Industry Office government relationships, in particular those with the Zhejaing Province where WA has a Australian Business Centre Suite 2606, International Trade Building sister-state relationship. #333 Keelung Road Section 1 • TAIPEI 110 TAIWAN Tel: +886 2 8780 9118 ext 216 • Fax: +886 2 2757 6707 The Department of Industry and Resources is looking to build stronger commercial ties Email: nicholas.mckay@austrade,gov.au with Zhejiang, including undertaking an Energy Options Joint Study to examine the Thailand WA Business Development Manager feasibility of utilising LNG in the province. Australian Trade Commission • Australian Embassy 37 South Sathorn Road • BANGKOK 10120 • THAILAND Tel: +662 287 2680 Ext 3307 • Fax: +662 287 2589 E-mail: [email protected] in this issue 8 InIn thisthis edition,edition, ProspectProspect focusesfocuses onon China,China, aa countrycountry withwith aa boomingbooming economyeconomy andand oneone thatthat presentspresents hugehuge opportunitiesopportunities forfor aa resources-richresources-rich StateState likelike WesternWestern Australia.Australia. TurnTurn toto pagespages 8–178–17 forfor moremore details.details. special feature CHINA 2 LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS 20 BURRUP PENINSULA Western Australia, with its vast natural gas resources, is An insight into the development of infrastructure on the a strong contender to supply LNG to markets on the Burrup Peninsula where a number of big gas processing west coast of the United States. projects are planned. 4 SEISMIC SURVEY 22 CEREAL STRAW Offshore seismic survey program begins to map the A cooperative of Jerramungup farmers is assessing the boundaries of Australia’s biggest gas field, north of potential for a major new integrated industry based on cereal Onslow. straw pulp, bio diesel, eucalyptus oil and power from biomass. 5 PETROCHEMICALS Good progress is being made with the foundation 23 WASTEWATER petrochemical industry on the Burrup Peninsula, a The Kwinana industrial strip is about to host the biggest A$630 million ammonia plant that will serve markets in wastewater recycling plant in Australia. Asia. 25 SUBSCRIPTION FORM 6 GRANITE Green granite from a quarry at Jerramungup makes its 36 RESOURCES MAP way to London for a stunning feature at a new Australian War Memorial. 18 GRIFFIN VENTURE A look at the success behind BHP Billiton Petroleum’s floating production storage and offtake vessel, the Griffin Venture, which has been now been operating for 10 years. Front cover: A worker inspects rolls of Prospect ISSN 1037-4590 steel at the Baosteel steel Western Australian Prospect magazine is published quarterly by the Western Australian Government’s Department of Industry and plant in Shanghai. The Resources (DoIR) and Ray Burns Media. plant uses high-grade iron Editorial management: John Terrell, DoIR Communications & Marketing Division. Tel: (08) 9327 5555 • Fax: (08) 9327 5500. ore from Western Australia Advertising management: Ray Burns Media, PO Box 1230, South Perth Westerm Australia 6951 Tel: (08) 9227 6688 • Mobile: 0408 474 328 • Email: [email protected]