A new gas field is now supplying eastern Australia, with first production from the Vali project in south-west Queensland this week.

Vintage Energy is the operator of the ATP 2021 joint venture and holds a 50 per cent stake, with other interest holders being Metgasco and Bridgeport.

“First production and first revenue generation is a landmark event for every company,” Vintage managing director Neil Gibbins said.

“For an exploration company to reach this point, let alone within four and a half years of floating, is noteworthy.

“The achievement was made possible by the support and contribution of many, starting with our shareholders and ATP 2021 joint venturers.

“The efforts and vigilance of our employees and contractors has preserved an LTI and environmental incident-free record. Their persistence enabled the project to progress in the face of obstacles and disruption brought by COVID and consequent supply chain issues.”

The Vali field, among the larger gas discoveries in the Cooper Basin in the past decade, is independently certified as having proved and probable gas reserves of 101 petajoules (PJ).

Vali is to supply an estimated 9 PJ to 16 PJ gas to AGL Energy from field start-up to end-2026 under Vintage’s inaugural gas contract.

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Mr Gibbins said by pre-paying the joint venture $15 million, AGL enabled Vali to be brought online much earlier than would otherwise have been the case.

“Our expectation is Vali, and the nearby Odin gas field, will be supplying gas to eastern Australia for many years,” he said.

“The facilities and pipeline installed for these first flows will be an initial production solution on full field development in the coming years.”

Gas from Vali undergoes initial separation and metering through facilities recently installed and commissioned at the field. It is transported to join the Moomba gas gathering network at Beckler for processing prior to sale.