Jemena
Queensland's gas industry achieved a significant milestone this week, as the Queensland Gas Pipeline (QGP) celebrated 30 years of safe and reliable operation.
Owned and operated by leading infrastructure company, Jemena, the pipeline, which was officially opened on 25 July 1990, reinforced Gladstone as a thriving manufacturing region, which today underpins Queensland's $20 billion manufacturing sector.
Speaking about the milestone, Jemena's Managing Director, Frank Tudor, said the pipeline continues to play a crucial role in the Queensland and Australian economy.
"From the outset the QGP played an important role in providing reliable and affordable energy to central Queensland," said Mr Tudor.
"The pipeline brought to life Queensland's regional manufacturing sector, and has been delivering gas reliably to big and small businesses for 30 years. The pipeline has made possible many thousands of jobs, especially in regional Queensland, and its flow-on economic impacts benefit not only the rest of Queensland but all Australians." Gas from the QGP supports manufacturing operations to produce many of the everyday items used by Australian homes and businesses including: aluminium, plasterboard and oil. It also supports the manufacture of key inputs required by Queensland's mining sector and supplies gas to distribution networks in Gladstone, Rockhampton, and the Wide Bay area.
The QGP spans 627km connecting the Wallumbilla gas hub in south west Queensland to large industrial gas users in Gladstone and Rockhampton. The QGP was developed by the Queensland Government between 1989 and 1990, and was acquired by Jemena on 4 August 2008.
Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) was the QGP's baseload customer and has sourced its energy from the pipeline for its entire three decades of operation.
QAL General Manager, Pine Pienaar said; "QAL is proud to have a long-term partnership with Jemena and recognise the contribution they provide to ensure QAL continues to operate in a safe, stable and sustainable way now and into the future.
"Congratulations and thank you Jemena for 30 years of ongoing dedicated service to industries within our region and beyond."
In response to growing demand for energy in central QLD, Jemena has invested more than $140 million since 2010 to expand the QGP, including adding new compression facilities and pipeline looping so that today the QGP is capable of transporting approximately 52 PJ/annum.
Mr Tudor said the QGP also continues to provide a reliable and efficient path for new gas to be brought to the east coast gas market.
"Jemena has a history of working with smaller Australian producers helping them bring new gas to major use centres through the most efficient and economic route available – this is evident by the recent connection of Denison Gas at Rolleston, establishing the QGP as a bi-directional pipeline with the capability of delivering gas to Wallumbilla on a firm basis. With the Queensland Government opening up new exploration acreage we foresee a future where the QGP plays an integral role in bringing new sources of gas to market, helping to ease forecast gas shortages across Australia's east coast."
A timeline of the QGP's development is attached.
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