Enertrade, a Government Owned Corporation, proposed to build, own and operate approximately 440 kilometres of high pressure gas transmission pipeline in Central Queensland from Moranbah to Gladstone. The Central Queensland Gas Pipeline project is estimated to provide employment for up to 300 people during construction.

The pipeline would provide a strategic link for gas supply between the North Bowen Basin and Gladstone and provides scope for future interconnection to South East Queensland markets such as Brisbane. Construction of the project would provide interconnection of the North Queensland Gas Pipeline to the state gas transmission network. This would enable alternative sources of gas to the industrial centre of Gladstone as well as into Townsville.

It would be initially configured to deliver 20 Petajoules (PJ) per annum but could be expanded through further gas compression to approximately 50 PJ per annum.

Environmental Impact Statement process

On 16 December 2004, the Coordinator-General declared the project to be a 'significant project' for which an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required in accordance with the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld).

The Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage decided the project is a 'controlled action' and subject to assessment under the provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

The EIS for the project was published on 7 October 2006 for public comment. The Coordinator-General’s Report assessing the EIS and Supplementary Report was completed and approved on 16 October 2007. The Coordinator-General assessed that the project can proceed subject to certain conditions

On 7 November 2007 it was announced that a joint venture of AGL and Arrow Energy had purchased the merchant gas business of Enertrade, the North Queensland Gas Pipeline and the Central Queensland Gas Pipeline project.

On 15 January 2008 the Australian Minister for the Environment approved the project subject to conditions.

The new owners of the project AGL/Arrow have yet to announce when they might commit to construction of the project.

Resources

A copy of the Coordinator-General’s report may be viewed and downloaded using the following link:

• Coordinator-General’s Report ( 449 KB)
• Project overview map ( 4.3 MB)

Further information

For more information on the new ownership of the Central Queensland Gas Pipeline project please visit the Arrow Energy website.

For further information regarding the EIS process for the project, contact the Infrastructure and Economic Development Group and address your enquiry to the Central Queensland Gas Pipeline Project.