- Cook Labor Government commits $320,000 to support local subsea innovators
- New deepwater hyperbaric facility saves time and money for local businesses
- Funding to target more subsea innovation projects and assist WA's subsea industry
The Cook Labor Government is investing $320,000 into supporting a local subsea innovation organisation which helped develop Australia's first deepwater hyperbaric facility in Henderson.
The Minister Assisting the State and Industry Development, Jobs and Trade Minister Stephen Dawson said the Subsea Innovation Cluster Australia (SICA) was playing a key role in supporting and guiding a wide range of companies and research organisations.
Today, the Minister officially opened the new deepwater hyperbaric common user facility, which is operated by Matrix Composites and Engineering at Henderson.
The new facility is one of SICA's joint industry success stories, and has been touted as a gamechanger in supporting WA's subsea projects and industries.
Up until now, the testing of subsea control modules and other specialised deepwater equipment had to be sent overseas for inspection and repair, which could take up to four months.
This was a costly exercise and a time waster for WA's offshore oil and gas industry, which relies heavily on the deepwater equipment to maintain its subsea infrastructure.
The procedure can now be completed within weeks at the new facility, which recently became operational with additional funding and support from Baker Hughes.
The $320,000 investment by the State Government will assist SICA and its partners to expand on the subsea test capabilities through other collaborative projects.
This is expected to generate other innovative subsea projects in WA, which is a key priority in the State Government's Diversify WA plan.
Subsea technology and innovation will play an important role in the success of the State's energy transition journey and create a range of new opportunities for the WA economy.
Around 40 per cent of SICA members currently work within the defence industry, which gives the organisation key opportunities in promoting local technology to defence contractors.
As stated by Minister Assisting the Minister for State and Industry Development, Jobs and Trade Stephen Dawson:
"We have an extremely busy global oil and gas sector based here in WA that requires this cutting-edge technology to support and maintain their subsea infrastructure.
"This new hyperbaric testing facility is a gamechanger, saving valuable time and money and creating local jobs and a new industry.
"This is exactly what the Cook Labor Government is focused on investing and supporting local businesses that are going to make a world of difference in the future.
"Congratulations to SICA, Matrix Composites and Engineering, and Baker Hughes for having the foresight and the fortitude on bringing this exciting project to fruition, paving the way for the ongoing diversification of our State's economy."
