Studies commencing for Westport’s new port

The Government of Western Australia has just announced that Westport will soon start geotechnical and geophysical investigations into Cockburn Sound’s seabed.

The officials are currently planning for a new port in Kwinana supported by efficient integrated road and/or rail transport corridors.

As part of Westport’s Science Program, the authorities will be conducting geotechnical and geophysical investigations into Cockburn Sound’s seabed that will fill key knowledge gaps about the composition of sediments and underlying rock layers, helping us to plan the engineering, reclamation and dredging requirements for the new terminal.

Specialist drilling equipment will collect geological cores for the geotechnical survey, providing ‘ground truthing’ data required for an accurate 3D model of the ocean floor.

Survey acoustic (seismic) instruments will then gather information for the geophysical survey. Instruments include low intensity air-guns that will be used to measure the journey of sound, as it travels down through a number of geological layers and then eventually bounces back. This will allow the research team to make inferences about the strength of layers are drawn.

Working with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, geotechnical and geophysical studies are commencing this month.