Dampier to Bunbury pipeline

The Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline (DBNGP) corridor is an area of land that houses the high-pressure gas pipelines which supplies gas to heavy and light industry consumers, electricity generation and homes within Western Australia.

Last updated: 5 January 2022

Overview

The DBNGP corridor is approximately 1,600km in length, starting from the Burrup Peninsula near the town of Dampier in the North West to Brunswick near Bunbury in the South West of Western Australia. The DBNGP corridor also includes land for various high-pressure gas pipeline laterals to service areas such as Carnarvon, Geraldton, Pinjarra, Kwinana, Waroona and Harvey.

Background

Constructed by the Western Australian State Government under the State Energy Commission Act 1979, the DBNGP is Australia's longest gas pipeline and one of Western Australia's most critical pieces of energy infrastructure. The DBNGP covers more than 1,597km starting from the Burrup Peninsula in the State's North West and finishing near Bunbury in the State's South West.

Upon sale of the DBNGP asset in 1998, the State Government retained management of the easement housing the DBNGP which is referred to as DBNGP corridor in the Dampier to Bunbury Pipeline Act 1997 (DBP Act).

Under the DBP Act, the land within the DBNGP corridor is administered by the DBNGP Land Access Minister.. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage assists the Minister in administering the DBNGP corridor. The department manages the DBNGP corridor by:

managing access rights to pipeline operators - the DBNGP Land Access Minister may confer rights pursuant to section 34 of the DBP Act to own, operate and maintain high pressure gas pipelines within the DBNGP corridor.
regulating and managing non-pipeline related land use (activities and works) within the DBNGP corridor. Property owners, pipeline operators and third parties must obtain approval from the DBNGP Land Access Minister under section 41 of the DBP Act to carry out non-pipeline related works within the DBNGP corridor.
acquiring additional land to be brought into the DBNGP corridor and provide capacity to install additional pipelines to service future needs of Western Australia. In 1998, an initiative to widen the DBNGP corridor to secure land to install additional pipelines to service future needs of Western Australia. The generalised widths of the DBNGP corridor varies as follows:
Dampier to Bullsbrook: 100m
Perth metropolitan area: 30m
Kwinana to Bristol Road (Waroona): 30 to 50m*
Bristol Road (Waroona) to Clifton Road (Brunswick): 16 to 30m*

*subject to the South West Widening Project

The current South West Widening Project is divided in two stages:

Kwinana to Bristol Road (Waroona)
Bristol Road (Waroona) to Clifton Road (Brunswick) – this stage will be subject to an environmental impact assessment to meet the Environmental Protection Act 1986 prior to progressing.
providing advice to Western Australian Planning Commission - The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) and Local Government Authorities (LGA) submit applications for comment under the Planning and Development Act 2005 are referred to the DBNGP Land Access Minister for comment. The WAPC and LGAs refer any planning or development application which includes land within or in close proximity to the DBNGP corridor.
Engagement with industry, other Government agencies, developers, Local Government Authorities, land holders and third parties with regards to land use within the DBNGP corridor.

Legislation

The DBNGP corridor is managed under the Dampier to Bunbury Pipeline Act 1997 . The Act is owned by the Minister for Energy and creates the role and function of the DBNGP Land Access Minister. The current DBNGP Land Access Minister is the Minister for Lands.

The DBNGP Land Access Minister, on behalf of the State, manages access to the DBNGP corridor for the purpose of constructing and operating gas pipeline facilities. The DBNGP Land Access Minister also administers any restrictions (including activities and works) on the DBNGP corridor to protect the integrity and safety of the gas pipelines.

Native Title

Where the DBNGP corridor crosses freehold land, generally native title is considered to have been extinguished. More information on native title can be found on the National Native Title Tribunal website.

Useful links to relevant government agencies and pipeline industries:

For more information please contact the Manager, Infrastructure Corridors, at the Department.