Enertrade has cfonstructed gas processing and compression facilities near Moranbah and approximately 400 kilometres of high pressure gas transmission pipeline running north to north west from Moranbah to Townsville. The pipeline will transport coal seam methane gas from Moranbah to the Yabulu Power Station in Townsville and is a major initiative of the Queensland Government Cleaner Energy Strategy.

The pipeline provides a strategic link between the North Bowen Basin and Townsville and provides scope for future interconnection to central Queensland markets such as Gladstone and Rockhampton. The project diversifies the State's energy mix and will reduce the rate of production of greenhouse gases by more than 1 million tonnes in the first year.

The pipeline is owned and operated by Enertrade. It is initially configured to deliver 18.5 petajoules per annum but can be expanded through further gas compression to approximately 50 petajoules. Construction commenced in October 2003 and was completed in September 2004. The pipeline delivered first gas to the upgraded power station at Yabulu in February 2005.

The Environmental Impact Statement Process

The North Queensland Gas Pipeline Project (Moranbah to Townsville) was declared a 'significant project' on 23 August 2002 for which an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was required. The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Heritage determined that the project constituted a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 as the project could affect listed threatened species and/or communities.

The former Department of State Development and Innovation coordinated the EIS process. The process, which was accredited under the Commonwealth legislation, addressed matters on behalf of both the State and the Commonwealth.

Draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for an EIS were released for public comment on 24 September 2002. Following a review of all submissions received, final TOR were prepared and presented to the proponent by the Coordinator-General on 11 November 2002.

The proponent prepared an EIS, which was approved for release by the Coordinator-General for public review and comment on 13 November 2002.

The proponent prepared a supplementary report to address matters raised in the submissions on the EIS and during subsequent discussions with Advisory Agencies. This report was presented to all Advisory Agencies and others who made submissions on the EIS, on 5 February 2003.

The Coordinator-General's Report for this project was completed on 22 May 2003. The report was based on information contained in the EIS, supplementary report and other information provided by the Advisory Agencies for this project. The Coordinator-General determined that the project could proceed, subject to specific requirements, to be implemented as part of the environmental management plan, under the pipeline license.

The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Heritage also on 4 August 2003, approved the controlled action subject to the implementation of specific conditions to protect matters of national environmental significance.

Resources

• Coordinator-General's EIS Evaluation Report Part 1 ( 203 KB)
• Coordinator-General's EIS Evaluation Report Part 2 ( 166 KB)

For more information please visit North Queensland Gas Pipeline Project from Moranbah to Townsville.

Further information

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