Buru Energy has taken a major stride towards developing a homegrown energy solution for Western Australia’s Kimberley region, lodging a production licence application for its 100 per cent-owned Rafael conventional gas and condensate field.
The application to the State Government is a critical step in securing the regulatory tenure needed to develop and produce from the field, and follows the recent referral of the project to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority.
Buru plans to develop Rafael through a simple, small-footprint modular development, supplied by two wells and designed to generate long-term cash flow and provide a reliable local energy supply. The company describes Rafael as the only proven onshore conventional gas and liquids resources in the greater Kimberley region yet to be developed.
Rafael sits 100km east of Broome in the Fitzroy Trough of the Canning Basin, a deep, structurally complex depocentre with a proven petroleum system. Buru’s 2023 3D seismic survey improved subsurface imaging around the field, helping map reservoir geometry and support development planning.
As a conventional project, gas is expected to flow from the reservoir without hydraulic fracturing. Nearby exploration prospects such as Flying Fox offer potential upside, although they aren't yet included in the reserves supporting Rafael's case.
Independently assessed proved and probable (2P) reserves at Raphael total 15.25 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe), comprising 65.74 billion cubic feet of sales gas, 98,500 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 2.89 million barrels of condensate. In practical terms, booking reserves means an independent evaluator has judged these volumes commercially recoverable under a specific development plan, putting the field on a significantly more bankable footing than an early-stage discovery.
Buru Energy executive chairman David Maxwell said: “Rafael has a strong and increasingly mature foundation. Our focus is on project simplicity, capital efficiency and early cashflow as we progress towards the drilling program next year and first gas by early 2029.”
With the regulatory wheels turning, Buru is lining up its next big move – a two-well production drilling campaign at Rafael in 2027. Success in that campaign will be critical for confirming reservoir performance ahead of a targeted final investment decision in mid-2027.
Subject to all necessary approvals and project funding, the company is aiming to turn on the gas taps in the first quarter of calendar year 2029.
Buru’s development strategy is built around a capital-light model designed to get gas flowing and cash rolling in without shouldering the full cost of downstream infrastructure.
Under its proposed partnership with experienced small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) operator, Clean Energy Fuels Australia (CEFA), the latter would finance, build, own and operate the gas processing plant, leaving Buru to focus its capital on the upstream wells.
The commercial attraction is hard to miss. Buru is eyeing an opportunity to replace energy supplies trucked into the Kimberley from Karratha, Perth, Darwin and even overseas with a local source. With remote mines, communities and businesses needing reliable energy and mining operations increasingly looking to switch from diesel to reduce costs and emissions, Rafael could find itself sitting in the right place at the right time.
The WA Government is also actively seeking a more sustainable power solution for the West Kimberley from 2028. A local facility capable of producing up to 300 tonnes of LNG a day could supply the region’s gas demand and a significant portion of its LPG needs.
Buru has a long operating history in the basin, including producing more than 2.3 million barrels of oil from its 100 per cent-owned Ungani field, south-east of Rafael, before it was placed on care and maintenance in 2023. The Kimberley’s ongoing reliance on imported energy gives Rafael’s potential to establish a local source of gas and liquids added relevance.
With its production licence application now lodged, Buru is methodically de-risking the path to production. The company is no longer just talking about an energy solution for the Kimberley; it is putting the building blocks in place to deliver it.
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| 214 | - | Buru Energy | $314,000.00 |
| 393 | - | Recharge Metals | $3,823.00 |
| 395 | - | American Uranium | $3,455.00 |
| 396 | - | Avenira | $2,915.00 |
| 399 | - | Conico | $2,479.00 |
