A major coal seam gas expansion, contributing about 120m tonnes of carbon emissions over its lifetime, has been approved by the federal government until 2081.
The approval enables Australia Pacific LNG to continue to build, operate and eventually decommission new gas infrastructure in Queensland’s Surat and Bowen basins.
That could include up to 1,695 new gas wells, 1,545km of gas and water pipelines and three processing facilities, which would produce about 2,033 petajoules of gas. The project is expected to operate until 2061, with an extended approval time to ensure environmental conditions are met.
The project’s public environment report estimated 9m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions would be emitted during construction and operation, and about 111m tonnes as a result of burning the gas – more than Australia’s annual transport emissions.
Amanda McKenzie, the chief executive of the Climate Council, said it was the 36th fossil fuel project approved by the Albanese government.
“The government says it is committed to cutting climate pollution, but approving new coal and gas projects is like lighting another cigarette while you’re trying to quit smoking. You cannot cut climate pollution if you keep approving more projects.
“After a summer marked by record heat and destructive flooding, communities are already living with the consequences of climate pollution. Approving new sources of pollution only increases the harm.”
Australia Pacific LNG is a joint venture of ConocoPhillips, Origin Energy and Sinopec. The development, named the Gas Supply Security Project, would supply both domestic and export markets.
A spokesperson for Australia Pacific LNG said they welcomed the approval under federal environment laws.
“The continued development of these gas fields will allow us to continue to produce gas from our existing reserves base to meet existing export contracts and provide essential gas supply to Australia’s east coast now and into the future,” the spokesperson said.
A government spokesperson said the project was approved after the “consideration of rigorous scientific advice” and would be subject to 126 environmental conditions.
“The project will be required to reduce its emissions every year and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 under the Albanese Government’s strengthened Safeguard Mechanism,” the spokesperson said.
Lock the Gate’s national coordinator Ellen Roberts said Queensland’s landscape had already been scarred by more than 16,000 coal seam gas wells.
“Export gas companies like Origin Energy in Queensland already produce far more gas than we use. This project isn’t about Australia’s energy security, it’s about boosting and prolonging the profits of multinational gas exporters.”
