Leak forces gas rationing for Gladstone processing plants

Gas supply is being rationed for major industrial users in the Gladstone area after a leak on the major pipeline that would normally deliver about 145 terajoules per day. Energy Minister Mick de Brenni briefed the Queensland Parliament last night on the ramifications of the rupture on Jemena's Queensland Gas Pipeline. While information was still coming in, he said there would be a significant decrease in gas availability in and around the Gladstone area. "Safety of the community, distribution to critical infrastructure, and the economic security of the Gladstone industrial workforce, including at Rio Tinto facilities, have been key considerations in managing this unfolding situation," he said. The 627km QGP links the Wallumbilla gas hub in southern Central Queensland to large industrial gas users in Gladstone and Rockhampton. The leak erupted near Bauhinia, 220km south-west of Rockhampton, yesterday morning. Mr de Brenni said the Australian Energy Market Operator advised that gas was being redirected from the Meridian fields to supply about 38 terajoules a day to the Gladstone area. "The Australian Energy Market Operator advises that this drop in gas availability requires it to make decisions relating to temporary gas rationing," he said. "These are decisions that must be made in the interests of community safety and economic security. It will be important for Jemena, the pipeline operator, to confirm that it has appropriate arrangements in place to ensure companies and therefore their workforces do not suffer adverse impacts as a result of this incident." Rio Tinto said it was working with Jemena and the Australian Energy Market Operator to understand the full impact on its Gladstone operations. These include the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery. A Jemena spokesman said residential users would not be affected by the drop in gas available for the area; however there would be 'pain sharing' between the industrial users as they were forced to cut back on energy use. "There will be production decreases and things like that, but it's about making sure that those businesses that need the gas most have it so that they can remain viable," he said. He said Jemena crews had attended the remote site of the gas leak yesterday afternoon and were able to isolate it and extinguish the flames emanating from the escaping gas. "We've been starting to look at what the repair will actually entail and they'll start doing that today," the spokesman said. "They're already doing work around getting excavators and pipes and things like that lined up. In terms of the actual timeline for the repair, it's probably a bit too early to say." The cause of the rupture in the underground pipeline was unknown at this stage, he said. An ignition source such as a strike on the pipeline would be required to create the flames witnessed at the site, he said.

Leak forces gas rationing for Gladstone processing plants

Industry Queensland

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