The Western Australian Government announced on Thursday 6th that legislation paving the way for a geothermal industry in Western Australia has been passed by both Houses of State Parliament.

The amendments to the Petroleum Act (1967) will be proclaimed later in December. The first geothermal exploration tenements will be released for competitive tender sometime in 2008, covering the coastal and adjacent inland areas from Geraldton in the north, to Busselton in the south.

The opening up of WA almost doubles the land now available for geothermal exploration in Australian!