Proponents for the Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas (APLNG) project have made their final investment decision.


The US $20 billion Final Investment Decision for an initial train and common facilities of a two train 9.0 million tonnes per annum coal seam gas to LNG project will secure 6000 jobs in the state.


The APLNG project comprises the development of coal seam gas fields in the Surat and Bowen Basins, a 450 km transmission pipeline to Gladstone and a LNG facility on Curtis Island, near Gladstone.


The APLNG project has already invested $2.4 billion in Queensland in its first two and a half years as a joint venture project.

At the peak of construction, the project will have some 6,000 workers – including 2,700 in the gas fields and pipeline, and 3,300 at the LNG facility.



The Final Investment Decision represents US $20 billion in coal seam gas to LNG investment and is the third CSG to LNG scheme to commit to Queensland. The others are: October 2010, Queensland Curtis Liquefied Natural Gas (QCLNG) (owned by BG/ QGC) made a final investment decision in October 2010 to invest $15 billion to develop a 2 train 8.5 Mtpa LNG project; and  Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas (GLNG) (owned by Santos/ Petronas/ Total/ Kogas) made a final investment decision in January 2011 to invest $16 billion to develop a 2 train 7.8 Mtpa LNG project.


In total, the three projects could create up to 18,000 jobs.


The project will have initial capacity of 4.3 Mtpa but has the potential to increase production up to 18 Mtpa. The first LNG exports are expected to commence in 2015.


The APLNG project has received the necessary environmental approvals under both State and Commonwealth legislation and is subject to rigorous conditions.


APLNG is currently working through its final approval and permits for the LNG facility, gas pipeline and gas fields.


“It’s also imperative that the agricultural and mining industries can co-exist together in this era of resources growth,” Treasurer Andrew Fraser said.


“The Government is working with industry and communities to achieve a balance between supporting the CSG to LNG sector’s development, ensuring domestic security of gas supply, protecting prime agricultural land and mitigating the environmental impacts.


“This is evident in the numerous conditions for approval attached to each project, which are some of the toughest requirements in the world placed on any industry to date.”