Dr LIM - 2000-08-16
The North Australian Gas Venture announced several months ago that it had signed a letter of intent with Methanex Corporation for a possible methanol synthesis gas project in Darwin, based on natural gas from the Greater Sunrise field in the Timor Sea. Can the minister advise this House of any progress that has been made on this project since then?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the question relates to future development in the Territory. As members would know, the North Australian Gas Venture, which is a Shell/Woodside alliance, and Methanex Corporation have been undertaking feasibility studies of this $5bn project. Those studies are expected to continue into the next year.
I think members would also be aware that the Commonwealth government granted both the Sunrise project and Methanex Corporation major project facilitation status. That status recognises these developments as being of national importance and promises a streamlined approval process by Commonwealth agencies. Also, members would be aware that Methanex recently opened a Darwin office to assist their work, demonstrating that they are serious about their development plans.
I am very pleased to advise honourable members that the Sunrise project will take another step forward today when Shell/Woodside launch a multi-million-dollar seabed soil-sampling program in the Timor Sea. This program involves taking seabed samples over the Sunrise gasfield to provide information needed to choose the best locations and finalise the engineering design of the gas production platform, or platforms, that will be required. The geotechnical survey vessel, MV Mariner, will be arriving in Darwin in the next few days to take on provisions and equipment before heading out to the Sunrise field.
I may say also that a similarly extensive program of survey and engineering design work will be undertaken to confirm the final design and route of the proposed 500 km offshore pipeline. In the meantime, other studies are continuing in the Bligh Point area on Gunn Peninsula which also relate to development sites. These studies involve large investments by the companies concerned, on top of the $100m which has already been spent on exploration of the Greater Sunrise area.
I can confirm to the House that the Woodside/Shell/Methanex project - there are other stakeholders in it too - has the full support of the Territory CLP government in progressing this job-creating and wealth-creating development.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the question relates to future development in the Territory. As members would know, the North Australian Gas Venture, which is a Shell/Woodside alliance, and Methanex Corporation have been undertaking feasibility studies of this $5bn project. Those studies are expected to continue into the next year.
I think members would also be aware that the Commonwealth government granted both the Sunrise project and Methanex Corporation major project facilitation status. That status recognises these developments as being of national importance and promises a streamlined approval process by Commonwealth agencies. Also, members would be aware that Methanex recently opened a Darwin office to assist their work, demonstrating that they are serious about their development plans.
I am very pleased to advise honourable members that the Sunrise project will take another step forward today when Shell/Woodside launch a multi-million-dollar seabed soil-sampling program in the Timor Sea. This program involves taking seabed samples over the Sunrise gasfield to provide information needed to choose the best locations and finalise the engineering design of the gas production platform, or platforms, that will be required. The geotechnical survey vessel, MV Mariner, will be arriving in Darwin in the next few days to take on provisions and equipment before heading out to the Sunrise field.
I may say also that a similarly extensive program of survey and engineering design work will be undertaken to confirm the final design and route of the proposed 500 km offshore pipeline. In the meantime, other studies are continuing in the Bligh Point area on Gunn Peninsula which also relate to development sites. These studies involve large investments by the companies concerned, on top of the $100m which has already been spent on exploration of the Greater Sunrise area.
I can confirm to the House that the Woodside/Shell/Methanex project - there are other stakeholders in it too - has the full support of the Territory CLP government in progressing this job-creating and wealth-creating development.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016