Broad opposition has formed against a planned shale gas extraction program in Western Australia's Kimberley region, with locals saying they won’t put their water at risk.

Oil and gas company Buru Energy has announced a pilot exploration program in the Canning Basin, east of Broome, ahead of its planned project access shale gas in the area with hydraulic fracturing.

But the program, which is still awaiting final environmental approval, has been opposed by local Yawuru native title holders and conservation group Environs Kimberley.

The hydraulic fracturing techniques are the result of numerous legal battles in the US, where many people have complained that the chemicals injected into the ground to fracture and release deposits of natural gas have contaminated their water supplies.

Fears have been raised that the process would have the same effects in WA.

Buru Energy’s planned exploration project will inject fluids into four wells 32 times to release gas.

If it is successful, the company wants to drill between 100 and 150 wells from 10 areas, five kilometres apart.

Managing director of Buru Energy, Dr Keiran Wulff, says it is only a small project.

“One of the things we've been advising the community of is just how small the actual footprint is,” he said.

“The collection of the pipelines which will connect the areas will be subsurface.

“It's a beautiful area but the reality is the environmental footprint of a project like this is very minimal.”

The plan is pending approval from State Environment Minister Albert Jacob, and has received over eighty appeals lodged to the Environmental Protection Authority.

The position of the traditional owners of the land, the Yawuru people, is clear.

Chairman of Yawuru Prescribed Body Corporate, Neil McKenzie, has told the ABC nothing should happen without its consent.

“No fracking should take place on Yawuru country until Yawuru have obtained independent advice about the risks and impacts of fracking and only if Yawuru native title holders give their free, prior and informed consent,” he said.

The group is understood to be in talks with Buru Energy over the impact of the project and the potential for local employment.

Yawuru traditional owner Micklo Corpus has told reporters he does not think Buru will want be interested in building the training and skills locals would need to run the wells.

“They are pulling our arms and our legs because everyone will be fly in and fly out from here,” he said.

The outcome of the Environmental Protection Authority's appeal process is expected to be announced within weeks.