am program on abc radio, page-5

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s2011552.htm

Companies vie for slice of Kimberley
AM - Wednesday, 22 August , 2007 08:04:00
Reporter: David Weber



Arc Energy is looking at a massive area in the Kimberley. Arc's Managing Director is Eric Streitberg.

ERIC STREITBERG: Our estimates run from relatively small quantities up to trillions of cubic feet of gas, which will be enough to supply Perth for 10 or 15 years.

DAVID WEBER: It's a fairly expansive area, 75,000 square kilometres that Arc Energy will be looking at. Why hasn't this been done before? Why hasn't this resource been exploited before?

ERIC STREITBERG: Basically because of its remoteness and the lack of a market for gas reserves. That's changed dramatically in the last three or four years as the West Australian resources boom has kicked off and there's been enormous upsurge in demand for gas. So if we do find any gas, we can now sell it and sell it at a good price.

DAVID WEBER: Do you envisage drilling across a wide area of the north-west, then?

ERIC STREITBERG: We certainly do, it's a geological area called the Canning Basin, which basically runs east from the coast between Broome and Derby and goes inland for three or 400 kilometres and we'll certainly be exploring right across that area. It's a very large area and it's quite a task for us but we think that with the application of modern technology, we've got a pretty good shot at finding something.

DAVID WEBER: Mr Streitberg says any gas that's found is expected to come on stream in 2010 or 2011, just in time for the start up of some iron ore projects in the area.