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PRESS STATEMENT 26.

STA'TMUT BY THE M[NISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVMOPM T (The Honourable David Fairbairn, D.F.C., LP.)

'TPLOWSHARE" EXPERTS TO VISIT AUSTRALIA

Two world authorities on the peaceful uses of nuclear

explosions will visit Australia next month to discuss tith tho

Government bodies and companies possible applications in Australia

of "Plowshare" technology, Mr. Fairbairn said today.

"Plowshare" is the name given to the United States Atomic

Energy Commission ss programme for the development of peaceful uses

of nuclear explosives. Recent experiments in the U.S.A. have

been particularly relevant to the mining industries.

The visitors are Mr. J.S. Kelly and Dr. G.C. Worth the

two most senior members of the U.S.A.E.C. Plowshare programme.

Mr. Kelly is Director of the Programme for the U.S.A.E.C. and Dr.

Worth is in charge of Plowshare activities at the Lawrence Radiation

Laboratory, California, which is the principal contractor to the

U.S.A.E.C. in this field.

The visit is taking place at the invitation of the

Australian—Atomic Energy Commission and is part of its continuing

programme of keeping Australian governmental and industrial

organisations abreast of developments of all aspects of Plowshare

technology.  The itinerary will give interested Australian

organisations the opportunity to obtain the latest information on

progress in the application of nuclear explosives to civil and mining

engineering.

Mr. Kelly and Dr. Worth will arrive in Sydney on May 5th

and will hold a series of technical discussions with governmental

bodies and companies interested in possibilities of applying nuclear

explosives in oil and metalliferous reining, water conservation,

harbour excavation, etc.

They will visit Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne,

Perth and also the Snowy Mountains Authority.  They will go to

North Western Australia to inspect possible locations for dams and

harbours in the Pilbara/Port Hodlsnd rogion.

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They will also inspect the Mereenie oil field in Central

Australia, where nuclear explosives could prove important in

releasing large reserves of petroleum locked up in a "tight" rock

formation, by fracturing the rock.  This technique was tested in

U.S.A. on December 10th by project "Gasbuggr", when a nuclear device

was exploded at a depth of 4,240 feet.Production testing will begin

in the latter part of 1968 to determine the increase in the flow

rate of natural gas through the fractured zone.

"Gasbuggy" was designed to determine whether or not

nuclear explosives could be used to increase natural gas production.

The oil industry throughout the world is keenly watching results

of this project. The technique of fracturing tight formations

Would also have important applications in the mining industry.

Mr. Fairba..rn emphasised that the visit by the Plowshare

exports did not signify that Australia was about to undertake a

Plowshare—typo operation.  The Australia Government, however,

recognised that Plowshare techniques could be of great value to

this country in the future.

Canberra

10th April 1268 .

