Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has called for more investment in gas pipelines following her recent trip to the US.
APPEA Queensland Director, Rhys Turner, said Ms Palaszczuk was right to focus on infrastructure development to open up new resource provinces.
“The single greatest factor in the growth of the US economy over the last decade has been the development of its own energy reserves, including natural gas,” Mr Turner said.
“The US economy is now powering ahead and its energy-related emissions are at their lowest level since 1991, having fallen about 13 per cent since their peak in 2007. The main reason for this is the increased use of natural gas.”
Mr Turner said Queensland was already Australia’s key energy province and it had more promising gas fields that could be developed in the Galilee and Bowen basins.
“While a healthy and vibrant exploration sector is the key to providing tomorrow’s jobs, economic growth and energy security, it can all amount to nothing without infrastructure to get the gas to market,” Mr Turner said.
“The Queensland Premier’s sensible and constructive comments about the need for more investment in pipeline infrastructure should be commended.
“Government investment in productive infrastructure is not a new thing, as long as it provides a public good.
“The public good attached to government investment in pipeline infrastructure is the new energy supplies such pipelines can bring to market and the broader positive impacts this has in terms of supporting jobs and helping to keep downward pressure on prices.”
Mr Turner said illogical moratoriums and government-sanctioned ‘go slows’ in other states mean Queensland must do the heavy lifting in supplying gas to the east coast market.
He said it made sense for the government to consider incentivising investment in Queensland pipeline infrastructure as a means of boosting east coast gas supply.
Jemena has also welcomed the call to bolster investment in gas pipeline infrastructure as a key means of solving the east coast gas crisis.
Jemena also supports the Queensland Government’s approach to onshore gas development, with the science consistently demonstrating that a well regulated onshore gas industry can help to deliver much needed additional gas to Australian businesses and households, while also creating new jobs in regional areas.
Jemena’s Executive General Manager of Customer and Markets, Shaun Reardon, said the gas industry is ready and willing to invest in new infrastructure provided the right policy and regulatory settings are in place.
“Queensland has set an example which other jurisdictions should follow, with onshore gas developments being assessed on their merits on a case-by-case, rather than a blanket basis,” Mr Reardon said.
“As a result Jemena has fast-tracked its plans to develop the Galilee Basin and construct a new pipeline to link the basin with the east coast gas market, in concert with Galilee Energy.
“This investment complements our $800 million Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP), which is set for completion by the end of (2018). Once completed the NGP will be able to bring around 90TJ of additional gas to the east-coast market each day. Should sufficient gas be made available in the Northern Territory, we will be able to expand and extend the NGP so that it can transport around 700TJs of gas each day – this is enough gas to meet the average daily gas needs of Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide.
“Gas pipeline infrastructure has the potential to evolve to meet the changing needs of Australian energy users. As part of our presentation, Jemena will demonstrate how we’re working to develop new gas technologies which are carbon-neutral while also delivering Australian businesses and households with reliable and affordable energy.”
