Coretrack won the development category for its core level indication system, which improves the accuracy of taking core samples during drilling and development of oil and gas wells.

Meanwhile, Cool Energy was runner-up in the ready-for-market category for its CryoCell technology, which removes CO2 from gas streams as a liquid that can be readily used for geosequestration or miscible flood-enhanced oil recovery.

The WA Inventor awards were announced by Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter at a ceremony last Friday.

Carpenter said this year’s award was particularly good news for the state’s resources industry, with four technologies designed to help the sector winning an award.

“These inventions are set to benefit the onshore and offshore resources industry and further cement WA’s position in the global resource services sector,” he said.

The winners are:

WA Inventor of the Year 2007 Award

Scanalyse for MillMapper.

Ready for Market category

· Winner - Scanalyse for MillMapper;

· Runner Up - Cool Energy for CryoCell® Technology; and

· Certificate of Merit - Meridian Safety for the T-Line Safety System.

Development category

· Winner - Coretrack for the Core Level Indicator System; and

· Runner Up - DIVA Solutions for the Avian Influenza Vaccine Marker.

Early Stage category

· Winner - Edith Cowan University, Centre of Excellence in MicroPhotonic Systems for High-Speed Inter-Chip Optical Interconnect; and

· Runner Up - Virtual Observer Pty Ltd for Virtual Observer.

The awards are run by the Department of Industry and Resources through the WA Innovation Centre at Bentley Technology Park.

The program aims to coordinate activities that promote the development of innovation across the public, private and education sectors.