❓ McGowan questions the Premier's stance on Browse LNG project processing location, specifically regarding the Burrup Peninsula. The Premier defends the government's position, citing technological limitations and heritage concerns, while accusing the opposition of undermining state progress.
AnsweredQoN 23Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BROWSE LNG PROJECT — BURRUP PENINSULA
23. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's statement in July 2009 in relation
to gas being piped in the Pilbara which, according to my notes, states —
We are not as a state government
going to allow liquefied natural gas projects to be built on the Burrup
Peninsula to service gas that is developed a thousand kilometres away. We are
not going to stand by and allow dysfunctional development to take place.
(1) Is this still the Premier's
position?
(2) Have the joint venture partners
discussed this as an option with the Premier?
(3) Should the
Premier's priority now be to get the gas processed onshore, even if it
is piped to Karratha, rather than a floating LNG option?
23. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's statement in July 2009 in relation
to gas being piped in the Pilbara which, according to my notes, states —
We are not as a state government
going to allow liquefied natural gas projects to be built on the Burrup
Peninsula to service gas that is developed a thousand kilometres away. We are
not going to stand by and allow dysfunctional development to take place.
(1) Is this still the Premier's
position?
(2) Have the joint venture partners
discussed this as an option with the Premier?
(3) Should the
Premier's priority now be to get the gas processed onshore, even if it
is piped to Karratha, rather than a floating LNG option?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
Some people promoted some years ago the idea that gas could go to the Burrup
Peninsula, and I guess in a technical sense it could. But members need to
realise that the LNG plants in the North West Shelf were first commissioned in
1989 and they are now, by definition, old technology. This is different gas
with a different chemical composition. The only point that the members of the joint
venture have made to me is perhaps a slightly humorous comment that there is
zero prospect of the two joint ventures agreeing on that in any case.
The other comment I would make is
that while there is capacity to add a further train or two to the North West
Shelf, and certainly a second one onto Pluto, the rest of the Burrup Peninsula,
which obviously has heritage values with rock carvings, is limited. I do not
know why members opposite barrack so much for this state not advancing itself.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is all they do. They gloat when they think projects are not going to go
ahead and they gloat —
Mr
M. McGowan : You make things up.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : You do.
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
You make things up as you go along!
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There was a sense of glee from the member for Cannington when he described the
Oakajee project as dead, or whatever he said.
I remind members opposite that a week ago the first of the
Oakajee projects was opened with 500 jobs, and the proponents want to double
the size of that project. We are still in a situation where the JV members are
yet to meet on Browse. They will meet by 1 July, which is the requirement. They
have already had their retention leases extended once. Technically they will
expire and we will have a negotiation with them about what will happen. I
imagine there will be some extension, but the point I make to the JV and the
point I made in the last couple of days is that this is a new negotiation. They
should not assume that it will just simply roll on so that they can sit on that
gas resource for another five years. I do not know what the attitude of the new
federal minister is, but Martin Ferguson, when he had that job, was very
vehement on that point: basically if you don't use it, you could lose
it. I think that is a bit harsh but that was very strongly Martin Ferguson's
point of view.
Some people promoted some years ago the idea that gas could go to the Burrup
Peninsula, and I guess in a technical sense it could. But members need to
realise that the LNG plants in the North West Shelf were first commissioned in
1989 and they are now, by definition, old technology. This is different gas
with a different chemical composition. The only point that the members of the joint
venture have made to me is perhaps a slightly humorous comment that there is
zero prospect of the two joint ventures agreeing on that in any case.
The other comment I would make is
that while there is capacity to add a further train or two to the North West
Shelf, and certainly a second one onto Pluto, the rest of the Burrup Peninsula,
which obviously has heritage values with rock carvings, is limited. I do not
know why members opposite barrack so much for this state not advancing itself.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is all they do. They gloat when they think projects are not going to go
ahead and they gloat —
Mr
M. McGowan : You make things up.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : You do.
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. Johnston :
You make things up as you go along!
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
There was a sense of glee from the member for Cannington when he described the
Oakajee project as dead, or whatever he said.
I remind members opposite that a week ago the first of the
Oakajee projects was opened with 500 jobs, and the proponents want to double
the size of that project. We are still in a situation where the JV members are
yet to meet on Browse. They will meet by 1 July, which is the requirement. They
have already had their retention leases extended once. Technically they will
expire and we will have a negotiation with them about what will happen. I
imagine there will be some extension, but the point I make to the JV and the
point I made in the last couple of days is that this is a new negotiation. They
should not assume that it will just simply roll on so that they can sit on that
gas resource for another five years. I do not know what the attitude of the new
federal minister is, but Martin Ferguson, when he had that job, was very
vehement on that point: basically if you don't use it, you could lose
it. I think that is a bit harsh but that was very strongly Martin Ferguson's
point of view.
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