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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 530 asked in the Legislative Council on 6 September 2017 by Hon Robin Chapple

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


HYDRAULIC FRACTURE STIMULATION
      530. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the minister representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
This is why I am puzzled by the redirection. I refer to the ministerial statement in this place yesterday regarding the government's policy on fracking.
(1) Can the minister explain in detail what the government defines as fracture stimulation?
      (2) Can the minister explain in detail how the government defines unconventional gas and its extraction process, and does this differ from fracture stimulation?
(3) Can the minister explain in detail how the government defines the process used to extract tight gas?
(4) Has fracture stimulation occurred on Barrow Island; and, if so, will it now be allowed to continue?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
Can we get this clarified, because for the last six months I have been representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum.
Hon Robin Chapple: This note was sent to me, that is all.
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN: The minister has provided the following information on which I base the answer.
      (1) Hydraulic fracture stimulation means the fracturing of rock with liquids under high pressure to create artificial openings and cracks in the rocks to increase the rocks' permeability and to allow more fluid—oil or gas to flow into the well bore. The process of fracture stimulation may be undertaken at any stage of a well's life.
      (2) The term ''unconventional'' means gas or oil resources that cannot be explored, developed and produced by conventional processes, meaning processes that use only the natural pressure of the wells and pumping or compression operations. Within the context of Western Australia, the term refers to shale gas, shale oil and tight gas or oil. Hydraulic fracture stimulation is required to allow this gas or oil to flow freely into the well bore.
      (3) Tight gas refers to natural gas found in low permeability reservoir rocks, most often sandstone, but can also include low permeability carbonate rocks that prevent the gas flowing freely to the well bore. As with shale gas or oil, hydraulic fracturing is required to allow this gas to flow freely to the well bore.
      (4) Although hydraulic fracture stimulation has been undertaken on Barrow Island in the past, it has not occurred for approximately 10 years and is not currently taking place.