Pilot Energy, with a stake in an offshore oil and gas block in the Northern Perth Basin, is now pursuing the development of an offshore wind farm in that same block. Detailed feasibility study to pursue the development of an offshore wind, onshore wind and solar power project to be located along the offshore/onshore coast of the Mid West Region of Western Australia. The company is the majority owner (60%) and operator of WA-481-P offshore block, covering over 8600 km2 along approximately, 250 km of the offshore Western Australian coast.
The offshore wind resource within the area covered by WA-481-P has been measured to have an annual mean wind speed greater than 9 m/s at a hub height 100 meters. The eastern boundary of WA-481-P is approximately 10 km offshore in relatively shallow water depths ranging between 20 to 40-meter water depths along the entire eastern portion of the permit from 10 km to 30 km offshore. Out of the 8600 km2 area of the permit over 7600 km2 (88%) of the permit area is in water depths of 60 meters or less.
The development of the Mid West Wind and Solar Project and the location of the offshore wind farm facilities are intended to be developed in such a way to assess the feasibility of accessing and utilizing existing offshore and onshore gas infrastructure in the overall development with a view of delivering a significant multi-tasking of the existing facilities.