Multi-billion dollar Gladstone LNG projects – a step closer

GLADSTONE: Vital next steps for two multi-billion dollar Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) opportunities in the Gladstone region – with potential for thousands of new jobs – have been unveiled by Premier Anna Bligh this morning.

The Premier announced both the release of the draft terms of reference for the Australia Pacific LNG project, and the Environmental Impact Statement for the Queensland Curtis LNG Curtis Island project.

She has invited public feedback on both projects.

“The companies’ multi-billion dollar estimates for their respective projects reflect our shared confidence in LNG’s job-generating capacity,” said the Premier.

“They could be part of a new industry with a potential worth of more than $40 billion to the Queensland economy.”

The Premier made the two announcements in Gladstone on Day Four of her Building for Jobs Tour promoting the importance of the State Government’s $18 billion building program.

“These projects represent the future of LNG in Australia, and I’m very pleased to see them moving towards becoming a reality,” she said.

“Gladstone already has some of the world’s biggest industrial operations so the prospect of a new industry is exciting for the city, its workers and the State.

“These proposed projects have the potential to boost our recovery by delivering jobs and royalties and also help in the battle against global warming.”

Ms Bligh said the EIS for the Queensland Curtis LNG Project would now be released for seven weeks’ consultation.

“This LNG project has the potential to deliver thousands of jobs from the Darling Downs to Gladstone and millions of dollars in economic benefits,” Ms Bligh said.

“The project could employ more than 4,000 people during construction and around 1,000 people during its operation,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Premier said the Australia Pacific LNG project is the largest under consideration in Queensland, and would also require major Surat and Bowen basin gas field expansions with new jobs for Darling Downs and central west towns.

“Just last week the project’s joint venture partners Origin Energy and ConocoPhillips released a detailed independent analysis of likely benefits,” Ms Bligh said.

“This KPMG Econtech report found APLNG would create, directly and indirectly, 10,300 jobs during its 10-year construction phase, with around 7400 of those in regional Queensland.

“It also predicted substantial benefits to Queensland’s annual Gross State Product.

“To show its determination, the company has also signed a deal with the state for 230 hectares of land at Laird Point on Curtis Island as their proposed plant site.

“Before they can achieve their goals though, the project must still satisfy rigorous environmental assessments.

“The draft terms of reference being released today will provide the framework for an Environmental Impact Statement, so community feedback on the draft is important.”

Ms Bligh said both projects will have to undergo thorough state and federal environmental assessments.

As well as Queensland Government scrutiny, matters of national environmental significance will be jointly assessed by the Federal Government (Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999).

As part of the proposed industry there could be a handful of storage tanks on Curtis Island, plus loading and export facilities for around 60 LNG vessels a year loading at associated processing units.

The examination of up to 730km of underground pipeline to move coal seam gas to Curtis Island processing plants is underway.

The two projects are among eight publicly announced for the east coast of Queensland. The first export of LNG could begin as early as 2012 with significant exports scheduled from 2014 onwards.

Potentially, a new LNG industry could involve private sector investment of more than $40 billion, the annual export of 50 million tonnes of LNG, a substantial increase to Gross State Product and the creation of over 18,000 jobs.

An executive summary of the Queensland Curtis LNG Project EIS can be viewed at www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects or the full EIS at www.qclng.com

All public submissions must be in writing and received by the Coordinator-General via post to PO Box 15009 City East Qld 4002; by fax to 3225 8282 or by email to QCurtisLNG@dip.qld.gov.au by 5pm Monday,19 October 2009 or Friday, 16 October.

For more information on the EIS process please contact the Department of Infrastructure and Planning on 3234 0518.

The draft terms of reference for the Australia Pacific Project are available on Department of Infrastructure and Planning website at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects and be on public display at:

·Gladstone Regional Council, Gladstone Civic Centre, 101 Goondoon Street, Gladstone

·Maranoa Regional Council, Quintin and Bungil Streets, Roma

·Western Downs Regional Council, 107 Drayton Street, Dalby

·State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane

All public submissions must be in writing and received by the Coordinator-General via post to PO Box 15009 City East Qld 4002; by fax to 3225 8282 or by email to APLNG@dip.qld.gov.au by 5pm Monday, 12 October 2009. Media Contact: 3224 4500