Gas will soon begin flowing to building products manufacturer CSR in Queensland, as Project Atlas comes on-line.
The project, delivered by Senex Energy will first supply state-owned power generator CleanCo. The next customer will be CSR, followed by other manufacturers in South East Queensland.
Other manufacturers set to benefit from the new source of natural gas include packaging company Orora and glass manufacturer O-I, which produces bottles for the beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverage industry.
The gas is sourced from the Atlas field, located near Wandoan in south-west Queensland. The project involves 60 gas wells, along with pipelines and a processing facility to package the gas for delivery to customers. Energy company Jemena built, owns, and now operates the processing facility and pipeline. As a condition of the granting of land to Senex, the gas contained there was reserved for domestic use only.
According to Senex managing director and chief executive, Ian Davies, the finalisation of the project depended on a number of stakeholders.
“We thank our partners for playing their roles in this achievement, including landholders, the community, our customers, suppliers, employees and our infrastructure partner Jemena,” he said.
“Senex will continue to support jobs and regional economies, with more than $400 million being invested in Queensland to bring natural gas to market.”
Queensland Mines and Energy Minister, Anthony Lynham, highlighted the benefit that this project would bring to the state’s manufacturing sector.
“Atlas and its connecting pipeline have created hundreds of construction jobs in regional Queensland and will now support hundreds of manufacturing jobs in Queensland,” he said.
“I congratulate Senex Energy and their pipeline partner Jemena, who have delivered gas to customers ahead of schedule.”