THE Gillard Government will delay a decision on whether to...

THE Gillard Government will delay a decision on whether to approve Origin Energy's $35 billion APLNG project until 2011.

The move, to be announced this afternoon, will mean Origin and its partner, ConocoPhillips, will not be able to sign a gas offtake deal for the Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas project, in Gladstone, before the end of the year, as had been hoped.

The companies will also not be able to make a final investment decision on the project.

Origin chief executive Grant King had previously said he hoped to have the project in a position at the end of the year where it could be given the go-ahead.

He had expected to get approval from Environment Minister Tony Burke relatively quickly, given BG Group and Santos had cleared federal regulatory hurdles for their Gladstone LNG projects.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/government-delays-origin-lng-decision/story-e6frg9ef-1225971645292