no lock the gate to gas, page-40

Found this recent news story about MEL

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-02/csg-firm-floats-offshore-pipeline-plan/3615022/?site=northcoast§ion=news

CSG firm floats offshore pipeline plan

Updated November 02, 2011 12:26:19

Map: Casino Metgasco says the idea of building a floating natural gas facility off the New South Wales north coast remains in the earliest stages of planning.

The company has made extensive coal seam gas (CSG) discoveries in the Casino area.

It is seeking approval to build a pipeline linking the gas fields to south-east Queensland.

However, chief executive Peter Henderson says those plans could change if a different market emerges.

"If we manage to sell gas to an international customer and convert it into liquefied natural gas, LNG, then one option would be to put a floating LNG facility off the NSW coast," he said.

"Then we would run a pipeline from the Casino area across the NSW coast off to the floating LNG facility.

"We haven't even started thinking about the optimum route for that.

"We [would] first have to apply for a production licence which goes through all the reviews and public consultation about our plans and people can see what we are doing, they can question, they can query, we can change plans accordingly.

"We [would] then need to go through and get pipeline licences, which means environmental studies, community consultation and so forth.

"So nothing is going to happen in any of these areas without the public being fully informed."