Hancock Prospecting has submitted an $850 million plan to relocate facilities from the Lockyer gas field after acquiring the asset from Mineral Resources.
Hancock Prospecting has submitted an $850 million plan to relocate facilities from the Lockyer gas field after acquiring the asset from Mineral Resources.
The Western Australian Planning Commission has released documents detailing Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hancock Energy’s plan to build a gas central processing facility (CPF) and operations village in Milo, in the Shire of Mingenew.
Hancock Energy plans to relocate facilities previously approved for the Lockyer project, previously led by MinRes, about 20 kilometres south to be between Lockyer and West Erregulla gas fields.
If approved by the WAPC, the Belisama gas project facilities will support extraction and processing of hydrocarbon resources from the Perth Basin.
Mineral Resources received approval to build a gas processing facility and workforce accommodation for the $850 million Locker gas project in late 2024.
In December 2024, Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting acquired all of MinRes’s Lockyer/North Erregulla gas project for $1.13 billion.
Hancock’s application, compiled by Planning Solutions, listed the estimated design, construction and commissioning cost of the Belisama project at $850 million.
The application revealed the site earmarked for Belisama was preferred because of significantly improved environmental and social outcomes compared to the previously approved Lockyer project land.
The relocation would support Hancock Energy’s goal to develop a facility that can sustain processing of other gas nearby including the West Erregulla field, the application shows.
Hancock took control of Warrego Energy, which has a a 50 per cent stake in the West Erregulla gas field, in 2023.
John Poynton-chaired Strike Energy is the 50:50 joint venture partner for West Erregulla.
“Whilst tie-back of West Erregulla to the Belisama gas project CPF is not currently being progressed, the proximity of the West Erregulla gas field to the proposed Belisama CPF (the West Erregulla upstream gathering system is ~10-15 km south of the Belisama CPF location), and Hancock Energy’s 50 per cent ownership share in that resource means that co-processing of West Erregulla has been considered in the Belisama CPF design,” the application read.
“The Belisama gas project CPF facilities are therefore designed to be able to co-process West Erregulla gas, with some modifications, if required in future
“If Hancock Energy fails to gain approval for the Belisama gas project CPF and Operations Village location the approved, but more impactful Locker project CPF facility location will become the preferred location for the development of the Lockyer gas field.
“The Belisama gas project CPF and operations village location as presented in this application is clearly Hancock Energy’s preferred location.”
However, the status of a $145 million gas plant at Hancock and Strike's West Erregulla field has been unclear.
The WAPC approved the West Erregulla gas plant proposal in October 2024.
"The approved facility was designed with a maximum design flow of 87 TJ/day," Hancock said in its application.
"The West Erregulla proposal, if it proceeds, requires clearing of up to 90 hectares of vegetation."
In its application, Hancock Energy said it held the biggest portfolio of hydrocarbon reserves and resources in the Perth Basin.
Hancock Energy estimated that the Belisama gas project would supply up to 20 per cent of the state's gas need when in full production.
