The Browse Basin is an area 500 km north-west off Western Australia (WA)'s coastline. It contains significant petroleum reserves. However, the Kimberley region onshore from the Browse Basin also has significant environmental and Indigenous heritage value.
This inactive strategic assessment was to assess a proposal to develop a common-user liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing precinct at James Price Point to process gas extracted from the Browse Basin.
Strategic assessments are a collaboration between the Australian Government and an assessment partner. This collaboration allows for a big-picture approach to safeguarding protected matters from the impacts of development over a long time.
The Browse Basin LNG Precinct (WA) strategic assessment on this page is inactive. This means the Commonwealth Environment minister signed an agreement, but the Australian Government no longer anticipates receiving further documents to progress the strategic assessment.
The partner has no obligation to finalise the strategic assessment requirements. They may choose not to continue to seek approval for their development at any time. But this choice doesn't remove their need to meet other obligations under national environmental law.
Overview
The WA Government proposed to create a common-user LNG processing precinct at James Price Point in the West Kimberley. This would process gas extracted from the Browse Basin. It aimed to prevent over-development of the Kimberley coast by collocating industrial development at a single site.
A strategic assessment was undertaken to ensure proper consideration of environmental and heritage matters at James Price Point, and to streamline the Commonwealth environmental approval process.
The WA Government also assessed the proposed precinct under state environmental law.
Signed agreement
On 6 February 2008, the Commonwealth minister and the WA Government signed the strategic assessment agreement.
Strategic assessment agreement and terms of reference (PDF 5.68 MB)
If you have difficulty accessing this file, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for a strategic assessment detail how the strategic assessment partner is to assess the impacts of their proposed development activities.
The public comment period for the draft terms of reference ran between 23 February and 25 March 2008.
The finalised strategic assessment agreement includes the terms of reference.
Plan and impact report
All strategic assessments involve developing a policy, plan or program and an impact report. This report addresses the impacts on protected matters from implementing the policy, plan or program. The strategic assessment partner prepares these documents for the Commonwealth minister to assess.
From 13 December 2010 until 28 March 2011, the WA Government released 2 documents for public comment:
- a draft strategic assessment report
- a precinct plan.
Once it had considered public comments on its strategic assessment report and precinct plan, the WA Government finalised the report for consideration.
On 19 November 2012, the WA Minister for Environment approved the proposed Browse LNG Precinct at James Price Point under state environmental law.
On 14 December 2012, the Commonwealth minister received the strategic assessment documentation. The process didn't go any further for 2 reasons:
- On 19 August 2013, the WA Supreme Court upheld a challenge to the WA Government’s environmental approval.
- On 2 September 2013, Woodside Petroleum Limited also announced it would use floating LNG technology, rather than the James Price Point site.
On this basis, the Australian Government considers that this strategic assessment is on indefinite hold.
Get in touch
Contact our Referrals Gateway team:
- Email: epbc.referrals@dcceew.gov.au
- Phone: 1800 423 135 between 9 am and 5 pm Canberra time.