New Gladstone office will provide critical jobs for region

Premier Anna Bligh has today opened the first of two regional offices of oil and gas exploration and production company Santos in Gladstone in a move that will create more jobs for the region.

“During this period of unprecedented economic uncertainty, the government’s number one priority is creating and sustaining jobs – so today’s opening of the GLNG (Gladstone LNG) office is good news for the Gladstone region,” Ms Bligh said.

Ms Bligh said that LNG presented the opportunity to develop a whole new export industry for Queensland.

“We have been working hard with companies like Santos to facilitate and develop the LNG industry – with the declaration of a dedicated LNG State Development Area on Curtis Island and facilitation of a pipeline corridor to the Surat Basin.

“This industry has enormous potential for Queensland and today I am pleased to announce the Government has established a specialist LNG Industry Unit in the Office of the Coordinator-General.

“This new unit will be a single point of entry into Government for companies investing in this new industry.

“It will be supported by an executive group of Directors-General from relevant departments including Infrastructure and Planning, Mines and Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

“We are determined to get this new industry off the ground, create jobs, build prosperity and keep Queensland strong.”

Ms Bligh said this is the first of the two regional offices for the company with the second scheduled for Roma and for which a property has already been purchased.

“This time last year Santos had eight employees in Queensland working on this project and they now have 239 working in Gladstone, Roma and Brisbane.

“This office will mean the company can employ another 15 full time staff.

“These employees are working with suppliers in the lead-up to the planned construction of the liquefaction plant and are also working with the Gladstone Ports Corporation to design the required dredging in the harbour and finalise ship simulations.

“Planned construction of the plant is due to commence in the first half of 2010 and ultimately it is estimated it will employ 3,000 construction workers.

“All together, these figures are a huge jobs boost for this region, a huge boost for the economy and a huge boost for the confidence of workers in Gladstone and surrounding areas during this time of economic upheaval.”

Santos recently announced a new Brisbane head office which will house around 600 staff to service the company's expansion into Queensland.

Late last year, Santos announced it was entering FEED (front end engineering and design), including the appointment of Bechtel as the successful contractor to design the coal-seam-gas to LNG plant at Gladstone.

Ms Bligh said the company had a budget in Queensland of more than $1 billion this year, climbing to $3 billion in 2011.

“More than $1 billion has been spent on GLNG to date through more than 1,000 suppliers in Queensland - a large proportion of which are in regional Queensland.”

Media Contact Premier’s Office 3224 4500

20 February 2009