AIE Lodges EIS for Oz LNG Import Project
Australia Industrial Energy has lodged its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its planned Port Kembla Gas Terminal to the New South Wales Government, the company said November 14.
“The EIS will now be placed on public exhibition for 28 days, with public submissions able to be made until December 14. Once the submissions received are collated by the Government, AIE will be required to prepare a response to submissions document which will be considered by the Government before it makes a final Project determination,” the company said.
Subject to assessment timeframes, AIE said it anticipates having gas to market in the first quarter of 2020.
In June, the LNG import project was declared as critical infrastructure by the NSW government, which helps to fast-track its approval process.
The Port Kembla Gas Terminal is planned to have the ability to supply in excess of 100PJ/year (2,670mn m3/year) of gas, which is sufficient to meet over 70% of NSW’s total gas needs, AIE says.
Australia’s Squadron Energy is investing in AIE alongside Japan’s JERA and Marubeni Corporation.
Australia, which is on track to be the world’s largest exporter of LNG next year, doesn’t currently import the fuel. But, a tight supply outlook for the country’s east coast has led to the announcements of a number of separate import project plans for the region.