State Development Minister Clive Brown announced that SMEC Australia and Purvin & Gertz would carry out the 'Northern Strategic Industry Areas Study' and the 'Petroleum Resources Availability and Opportunities Study' respectively.
"These two studies are about identifying new opportunities in the resources sector and ensuring that WA has project-ready industrial land so that we can take advantage of these opportunities," said Brown.
The Northern Strategic Industry Areas Study is an environmental, social and economic review of five strategic industrial areas in the State's North, aiming to identify the best location for future downstream processing projects. The study will employ a triple bottom line approach to assess Maitland/West Intercourse Island, Boodarie, Cape Lambert, Cape Preston and Oakajee.
The 'Petroleum Resources Availability and Opportunities Study' will look into the existing and potential availability of petroleum-based feedstocks to support a chemicals industry in the State's north.
"The current emergence of a gas processing hub on the Burrup Peninsula has its origins in the 'Pilbara 21 study', commissioned by the Lawrence Government in 1992," Brown said.
"Hopefully, we will look back in a decade and nominate the 'Petroleum Resources Availability and Opportunities' and the 'Northern Strategic Industry Areas Studies' as the triggers for another period of industrial expansion throughout the State."
