"Syntroleum is one of seven companies currently progressing gas-based projects worth more than $8 billion on the Burrup Peninsula," the minister said.

In September, Syntroleum Petroleum and the German firm, Tessag Industrie Anlagen GmbH signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement for the Sweetwater gas-to-liquids plant (GTL). Just last week, two Methanol producers, Methanex and GTL Resources, announced their intentions to build multi-million dollar methanol plants on the peninsula.

"We are effectively in competition with locations overseas and within Australia for some of these projects, so it is important to ensure we can match the competition," Mr Brown said. "So far, $60 million has been earmarked for a multi-user sea water supply system and desalination plant, port improvements, road works and a service corridor for movement of products to the western side of the peninsula."

He added the Government had initiated a review of the approvals process for major projects in Western Australia to improve the efficiency and timeliness of the system.