There are currently several projects in Queensland to convert coal seam gas (CSG) to liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Some of them are:
1.Queensland Curtis LNG,Cost: $15 billion. Ownership: BG Group, CNOOC, Tokyo Gas. Online target: 2014 Production: 8.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), doubling to reach 12 mtpa. Sold to: 9.5 mtpa to CNOOC,Tokyo Gas and to Chubu Electric for over 21 years.
2.Gladstone LNG Ownership: Santos, Petronas,Korea Gas Corp Cost: $16 billion. Online target: 2015. Production: 7.8 mtpa. Sold to: 7 mtpa to Korea Gas and Petronas.
3.Australia Pacific LNG Ownership: Origin Energy,ConocoPhillips,Sinopec. Cost: $20-$35 billion Online target: 2015. Production: 9 mtpa,capacity to double to 18 mtpa. Sold to: Sinopec.
4.Shell/Arrow LNG project Ownership: Shell,PetroChina. Cost: range between $24-$28 billion Online target: 2015-2017. Production: 8 mtpa in phase one-up to 18 mtpa in long term. Sold to: Shell and PetroChina
5.Gladstone LNG Fishermans Landing Ownership: LNG Limited and China national Petroleum.
6.Southern Cross LNG - Impel LNG Ownership: Impel capacity of 1 Mtpa,expected to start in 2013. This project is in the early planning stages and information will be provided as it becomes available.
7.Sun LNG project (SLNG)
All the projects above would generate over 18000 jobs in Queensland,increase revenue of $3 billion and over $850 million payment in royalty to Queensland every year. So i am very confident that unlike in NSW, Coal Seam Gas in Queensland are pretty safe. Government will not ban them as unlike in NSW, most of CSG in Queensland are located far from the farm and residential area, Secondly international investors already invested billions of dollars on those projects and they generate billions dollars of revenue to the Queensland. If they ban CSG, the Queensland government will face massive lawsuit from investors already pouring billions dollars.
There is currently gas shortage in Queensland.
I quote below from the Australian "http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/gas-shortage-may-be-bigger-than-forecast/story-e6frg9df-1226573918316"
-Industrial gas users got price increases of more than 100 per cent over the past year, and more increases are now expected.
-the three big LNG export plants on Queensland's Curtis Island are likely to put an even greater drain on domestic gas supplies when they begin exporting over the next two years, should they fall short in securing access to gas reserves.
-The Australian recently revealed that major corporations, including Brickworks, were unable to renew gas supply contracts beyond 2015, they have problem finding more CSG gas.
Those gigantic projects already sold their gas under contract, even before they come online and those plants would need lots and lots Coal Seam Gas to be feed into their plant. Its all logic, they have no choice but to turn into Blue Energy for its CSG gas.
BUL Price at posting:
3.6¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held